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Perrella L, Mucherino S, Casula M, Illario M, Orlando V, Menditto E. Polypharmacy Management in Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Literature Review of Italian Interventions. J Clin Med 2024; 13:3529. [PMID: 38930058 PMCID: PMC11204469 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Potentially inappropriate polypharmacy (PIP) is among the major factors leading to adverse drug reactions, increased healthcare costs, reduced medication adherence, and worsened patient conditions. This study aims to identify existing interventions implemented to monitor and manage polypharmacy in the Italian setting. Methods: A systematic literature review (PROSPERO: CRD42023457049) was carried out according to the PRISMA statement guidelines. PubMed, Embase, ProQuest, and Web of Science were queried without temporal constraints, encompassing all published papers until October 2023. Inclusion criteria followed the PICO model: patients with polypharmacy; interventions to monitor/manage polypharmacy regimen versus no/any intervention; outcomes in terms of intervention effectiveness and cost variation. Results: After duplicate deletion, 153 potentially relevant publications were extracted. Following abstract and full-text screenings, nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 78% (n = 7) were observational studies, 11% (n = 1) were experimental studies, and 11% (n = 1) were two-phase studies. A total of 44% (n = 4) of the studies involved patients aged ≥ 65 years, while 56% (n = 5) were disease-specific. Monitoring was the most prevalent choice of intervention (67%; n = 6). Outcomes were mainly related to levels of polypharmacy (29%; n = 6) and comorbidities (29%; n = 6), effectiveness rates (14%; n = 3), and avoidable costs (9%; n = 2). Conclusions: This review outlines that Italy is still lacking in interventions to monitor/manage PIP, addressing an unmet need in developing patient-tailored strategies for reducing health-system burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Perrella
- CIRFF-Center of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Utilization, Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.P.); (S.M.); (V.O.)
| | - Sara Mucherino
- CIRFF-Center of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Utilization, Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.P.); (S.M.); (V.O.)
| | - Manuela Casula
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy;
- IRCCS MultiMedica Hospital, Sesto S. Giovanni, 20099 Milan, Italy
| | - Maddalena Illario
- Division of Health Innovation, Campania Region Health Directorate, 80143 Naples, Italy;
| | - Valentina Orlando
- CIRFF-Center of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Utilization, Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.P.); (S.M.); (V.O.)
| | - Enrica Menditto
- CIRFF-Center of Pharmacoeconomics and Drug Utilization, Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.P.); (S.M.); (V.O.)
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Inglis JM, Caughey G, Thynne T, Brotherton K, Liew D, Mangoni AA, Shakib S. Association of Drug-Disease Interactions with Mortality or Readmission in Hospitalised Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drugs Real World Outcomes 2024:10.1007/s40801-024-00432-3. [PMID: 38852118 DOI: 10.1007/s40801-024-00432-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Multimorbidity is common in hospitalised adults who are at increased risk of inappropriate prescribing including drug-disease interactions. These interactions occur when a medicine being used to treat one condition exacerbates a concurrent medical condition and may lead to adverse health outcomes. The aim of this review was to examine the association between drug-disease interactions and the risk of mortality and readmission in hospitalised middle-aged and older adults. METHODS A systematic review was conducted on drug-disease interactions in hospitalised middle-aged (45-64 years) and older adults (≥65 years). The study protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (Registration Number: CRD42022341998). Drug-disease interactions were defined as a medicine being used to treat one condition with the potential to exacerbate a concurrent medical condition or that were inappropriate based on a comorbid medical condition. Both observational and interventional studies were included. The outcomes of interest were mortality and readmissions. The databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS and the Cochrane Library from inception to 12 July, 2022. A meta-analysis was performed to pool risk estimates using the random-effects model. RESULTS A total of 563 studies were identified and four met the inclusion criteria. All were observational studies in older adults, with no studies identified in middle-aged adults. Most of the studies were at risk of bias because of an inadequate adjustment for covariates and a lack of clarity around individuals lost to follow-up. There were various definitions of drug-disease interactions within these four studies. Two studies assessed drugs that were contraindicated based on renal function, one assessed an individual drug-disease combination, and one was based on the clinical judgement of a pharmacist. There were two studies that showed an association between drug-disease interactions and the outcomes of interest. One reported that the use of diltiazem in patients with heart failure was associated with an increased risk of readmissions. The second reported that the use of medicines contraindicated according to renal function were associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and a composite of mortality and readmission. Three of the studies (total study population = 5705) were amenable to a meta-analysis, which showed no significant association between drug-disease interactions and readmissions (odds ratio = 1.0, 95% confidence interval 0.80-1.38). CONCLUSIONS Few studies were identified examining the risk of drug-disease interactions and mortality and readmission in hospitalised adults. Most of the identified studies were at risk of bias. There is no universal accepted definition of drug-disease interactions in the literature. Further studies are needed to develop a standardised and accepted definition of these interactions to guide further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Inglis
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | - Gillian Caughey
- Registry of Senior Australians, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Tilenka Thynne
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Kate Brotherton
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Danny Liew
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Department of General Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Arduino A Mangoni
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sepehr Shakib
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Tsang JY, Sperrin M, Blakeman T, Payne RA, Ashcroft D. Defining, identifying and addressing problematic polypharmacy within multimorbidity in primary care: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081698. [PMID: 38803265 PMCID: PMC11129052 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Polypharmacy and multimorbidity pose escalating challenges. Despite numerous attempts, interventions have yet to show consistent improvements in health outcomes. A key factor may be varied approaches to targeting patients for intervention. OBJECTIVES To explore how patients are targeted for intervention by examining the literature with respect to: understanding how polypharmacy is defined; identifying problematic polypharmacy in practice; and addressing problematic polypharmacy through interventions. DESIGN We performed a scoping review as defined by the Joanna Briggs Institute. SETTING The focus was on primary care settings. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Cochrane along with ClinicalTrials.gov, Science.gov and WorldCat.org were searched from January 2004 to February 2024. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA We included all articles that had a focus on problematic polypharmacy in multimorbidity and primary care, incorporating multiple types of evidence, such as reviews, quantitative trials, qualitative studies and policy documents. Articles focussing on a single index disease or not written in English were excluded. EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS We performed a narrative synthesis, comparing themes and findings across the collective evidence to draw contextualised insights and conclusions. RESULTS In total, 157 articles were included. Case-finding methods often rely on basic medication counts (often five or more) without considering medical history or whether individual medications are clinically appropriate. Other approaches highlight specific drug indicators and interactions as potentially inappropriate prescribing, failing to capture a proportion of patients not fitting criteria. Different potentially inappropriate prescribing criteria also show significant inconsistencies in determining the appropriateness of medications, often neglecting to consider multimorbidity and underprescribing. This may hinder the identification of the precise population requiring intervention. CONCLUSIONS Improved strategies are needed to target patients with polypharmacy, which should consider patient perspectives, individual factors and clinical appropriateness. The development of a cross-cutting measure of problematic polypharmacy that consistently incorporates adjustment for multimorbidity may be a valuable next step to address frequent confounding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Yin Tsang
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester Division of Population Health Health Services Research and Primary Care, Manchester, UK
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GMPSRC), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Matthew Sperrin
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GMPSRC), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Thomas Blakeman
- Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester Division of Population Health Health Services Research and Primary Care, Manchester, UK
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GMPSRC), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Rupert A Payne
- Department of Health and Community Sciences, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Darren Ashcroft
- NIHR Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GMPSRC), Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Nicholson K, Liu W, Fitzpatrick D, Hardacre KA, Roberts S, Salerno J, Stranges S, Fortin M, Mangin D. Prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy among adults and older adults: a systematic review. THE LANCET. HEALTHY LONGEVITY 2024; 5:e287-e296. [PMID: 38452787 DOI: 10.1016/s2666-7568(24)00007-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Multimorbidity (multiple conditions) and polypharmacy (multiple medications) are increasingly common, yet there is a need to better understand the prevalence of co-occurrence. In this systematic review, we examined the prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy among adults (≥18 years) and older adults (≥65 years) in clinical and community settings. Six electronic databases were searched, and 87 studies were retained after two levels of screening. Most studies focused on adults 65 years and older and were done in population-based community settings. Although the operational definitions of multimorbidity and polypharmacy varied across studies, consistent cut-points (two or more conditions and five or more medications) were used across most studies. In older adult samples, the prevalence of multimorbidity ranged from 4·8% to 93·1%, while the prevalence of polypharmacy ranged from 2·6% to 86·6%. High heterogeneity between studies indicates the need for more consistent reporting of specific lists of conditions and medications used in operational definitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Nicholson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
| | - Winnie Liu
- Michael G DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Daire Fitzpatrick
- Michael G DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Kate Anne Hardacre
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah Roberts
- Michael G DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Salerno
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Saverio Stranges
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada; Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Martin Fortin
- Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Dee Mangin
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Dean T, Koné A, Martin L, Armstrong J, Sirois C. Understanding the Extent of Polypharmacy and its Association With Health Service Utilization Among Persons With Cancer and Multimorbidity: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study in Ontario, Canada. J Pharm Pract 2024; 37:35-46. [PMID: 35861340 PMCID: PMC10804697 DOI: 10.1177/08971900221117105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Background: Cancer often co-occurs with other chronic conditions, which may result in polypharmacy. Polypharmacy is associated with adverse outcomes, including increased health service utilization. Objectives: This study examines the overall prevalence of polypharmacy (5 or more medications) among adults with cancer and multimorbidity, as well as the association of both minor polypharmacy (5-9 medications) and hyper-polypharmacy (10 or more medications) on high use of emergency room visits and hospitalizations, while controlling for age, sex, and type and stage of cancer. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study used linked health administrative databases and included persons 18 years and older diagnosed with cancer between April 2010 and March 2013 in Ontario, Canada. Data on the number of health service utilizations at or above the 90th percentile (high users), was collected up to March 2014 and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the impact of polypharmacy. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy was 46% prior to cancer diagnosis, and 57% one year after diagnosis. Polypharmacy prior to and after cancer diagnosis increased with the level of multimorbidity, increasing age, but did not differ by sex. It was also highest in persons with lung cancer (52.4%) and those diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (51.3%). Minor polypharmacy increased the odds of being a high user of emergency rooms (1.16; 99% CI: 1.09-1.24) and hospitalizations (1.03; 0.98-1.09) and the odds of high use was greater with hyper-polypharmacy (1.41; 1.33-1.51) and (1.23; 1.17-1.29) respectively. Conclusion: Polypharmacy is highly prevalent and is associated with high health service utilization among adults with cancer and multimorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Dean
- Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Koné
- Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Lynn Martin
- Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua Armstrong
- Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada
| | - Caroline Sirois
- Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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Katzke VA, Bajracharya R, Nasser MI, Schöttker B, Kaaks R. Number of medically prescribed pharmaceutical agents as predictor of mortality risk: a longitudinal, time-variable analysis in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort. Sci Rep 2024; 14:106. [PMID: 38167443 PMCID: PMC10762119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50487-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The number of prescribed medications might be used as proxy indicator for general health status, in models to predict mortality risk. To estimate the time-varying association between active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) count and all-cause mortality, we analyzed data from a population cohort in Heidelberg (Germany), including 25,546 participants with information on medication use collected at 3-yearly intervals from baseline recruitment (1994-1998) until end of 2014. A total of 4548 deaths were recorded until May 2019. Time-dependent modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all-cause mortality in relation to number of APIs used, within three strata of age (≤ 60, > 60 to ≤ 70 and > 70 years) and adjusting for lifestyle-related risk factors. For participants reporting commonly used APIs only (i.e., API types accounting for up to 80% of medication time in the population) total API counts showed no association with mortality risk within any age stratum. However, when at least one of the APIs was less common, the total API count showed a strong relationship with all-cause mortality especially up to age ≤ 60, with HR up to 3.70 (95% CI 2.30-5.94) with 5 or 6 medications and 8.19 (5.61-11.97) for 7 or more APIs (versus none). Between > 60 and 70 years of age this risk association was weaker, with HR up to 3.96 (3.14-4.98) for 7 or more APIs, and above 70 years it was weakened further (HR up to 1.54 (1.34-1.79)). Multiple API-use may predict mortality risk in middle-aged and women and men ≤ 70 years, but only if it includes at least one less frequently used API type. With advancing age, and multiple medication becomes increasingly prevalent, the association of API count with risk of death progressively attenuates, suggesting an increasing complexity with age of underlying mortality determinants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena A Katzke
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Rashmita Bajracharya
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mohamad I Nasser
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory (KMEB), Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Ben Schöttker
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rudolf Kaaks
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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Amrouch C, Vauterin D, Amrouch S, Grymonprez M, Dai L, Damiano C, Calderón-Larrañaga A, Lahousse L, De Bacquer D, Lip GYH, Vetrano DL, De Smedt D, Petrovic M. Potentially inappropriate prescribing in multimorbid and polymedicated older adults with AF: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Drugs Aging 2024; 41:13-30. [PMID: 37976015 PMCID: PMC10769941 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-023-01078-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
AIM Polypharmacy in multimorbid older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP). We aimed to systematically assess the evidence on the prevalence of PIP and its impact on adverse health outcomes in this patient group. METHODS A systematic search of the published peer-reviewed literature describing the prevalence of PIP and/or its association with adverse health outcomes in multimorbid (AF plus one comorbidity) and polymedicated (≥ 2 drugs) adults ≥ 65 years was done up to March 2023. A meta-analysis of the prevalence of PIP of (direct) oral anticoagulants ((D)OACs) was conducted using a random-effects model. Leave-one-out analysis was performed with R (version 4.2.2) and RStudio (version 2022.12.0+353). RESULTS Of the 12 studies included, only one reported on the prevalence of overall PIP (65%). The meta-analysis of 10 studies assessing PIP of (D)OACs produced a pooled prevalence [95% confidence interval (CI)] of 35% [30-40%], with significant heterogeneity between the included studies (I2 95%). No statistically significant association was reported in three studies between PIP of (D)OACs, cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality, hospital readmission, CV hospitalisation and stroke. Reported associations between PIP and major bleeding differed, with one study demonstrating a significant association (odds ratio 2.17; 95% CI 1.14-4.12) and the other study not showing such association. CONCLUSION This systematic review highlights the scarce evidence regarding the prevalence of PIP and its association with adverse health outcomes in multimorbid older adults with AF. Large, prospective and better-designed studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheima Amrouch
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Delphine Vauterin
- Department of Bioanalysis, Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Souad Amrouch
- Department of Medicine, Antwerp University, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Maxim Grymonprez
- Department of Bioanalysis, Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lu Dai
- Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Damiano
- Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga
- Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lies Lahousse
- Department of Bioanalysis, Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dirk De Bacquer
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Gregory Y H Lip
- Danish Center for Health Services Research, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK
| | - Davide L Vetrano
- Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Delphine De Smedt
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mirko Petrovic
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Bellanca CM, Augello E, Cantone AF, Di Mauro R, Attaguile GA, Di Giovanni V, Condorelli GA, Di Benedetto G, Cantarella G, Bernardini R. Insight into Risk Factors, Pharmacogenetics/Genomics, and Management of Adverse Drug Reactions in Elderly: A Narrative Review. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1542. [PMID: 38004408 PMCID: PMC10674329 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The European Medicine Agency (EMA) has defined Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) as "a noxious and unintended response to a medicine", not including poisoning, accidental, or intentional overdoses. The ADR occurrence differs based on the approach adopted for defining and detecting them, the characteristics of the population under study, and the research setting. ADRs have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality, particularly among older adults, and represent a financial burden for health services. Between 30% and 60% of ADRs might be predictable and preventable, emerging as a result of inappropriate prescription, drug chemistry inherent toxicity, cell-specific drug toxicity, age- and sex-related anomalies in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME), and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in combination therapies or when a patient is treated with different drugs for concomitant disorders. This is particularly important in chronic diseases which require long-term treatments. Rapid developments in pharmacogenetics/genomics have improved the understanding of ADRs accompanied by more accurate prescriptions and reduction in unnecessary costs. To alleviate the burden of ADRs, especially in the elderly, interventions focused on pharmaceutical principles, such as medication review and reconciliation, should be integrated into a broader assessment of patients' characteristics, needs, and health priorities. Digital health interventions could offer valuable solutions to assist healthcare professionals in identifying inappropriate prescriptions and promoting patient adherence to pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Maria Bellanca
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Egle Augello
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Anna Flavia Cantone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
| | - Rosaria Di Mauro
- Dipartimento del Farmaco, ASP Trapani, 91100 Trapani, Italy; (R.D.M.); (V.D.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Antonino Attaguile
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
| | | | - Guido Attilio Condorelli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
| | - Giulia Di Benedetto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppina Cantarella
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
| | - Renato Bernardini
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.M.B.); (E.A.); (A.F.C.); (G.A.A.); (G.A.C.); (G.C.); (R.B.)
- Clinical Toxicology Unit, University Hospital of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Zito S, Poluzzi E, Pierantozzi A, Onder G, Da Cas R, Ippoliti I, Lunghi C, Cangini A, Trotta F. Medication use in Italian nursing homes: preliminary results from the national monitoring system. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1128605. [PMID: 37266155 PMCID: PMC10229842 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1128605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The aging population has increased concerns about the affordability, quality, and nature of long-term care for older people, emphasizing the role of nursing homes. Unlike acute hospital and primary care, there is a lack of drug consumption data in long-term care to understand regional or national healthcare policies. Objectives: This study aimed to describe medication consumption by older adults and expenditure in Italian nursing homes (NHs). Methods: Data on drug consumption and costs from the administrative medicine informational flows that detect medicines packages supplied to patients in health facilities and NHs were used. Data on the characteristics of the healthcare residence were from the Italian Health Ministry. Records for the year 2019, selecting the nursing homes exclusively providing elderly or mixed (elderly and disabled) were used. Results: In 2019, the total expenditure on medicines in NHs amounted to 25.38 million euros, the average cost to 1.30 and the expenditure per bed to 436.18 euros. Cardiovascular drugs were the highest-consuming therapeutic class (177.0 defined daily doses-DDDs/100 days of NH stay; 22.2% of total) followed by drugs acting on the alimentary tract and metabolism (167.6% and 21.0%) and blood drugs (160.4% and 20.1%). The treatment of hypertension and heart failure was widely the most frequently used, with the consumption being driven mainly by furosemide and ramipril. Antiulcer drugs were used on average in more than half of the days of NH stay (58.5 DDDs/100 days of NH stay), representing a therapeutic category for which deprescribing initiatives are recommended. On average, almost all patients received a dose of benzodiazepines, antipsychotics and antidepressants (37.6, 35.9, and 17.7 DDDs/100 days of NH stay, respectively), confirming the high prevalence of use for these medicines. Antibiotics reached 6.8 DDDs/100 days of NH stay. Conclusion: The availability of data in this specific setting allows the identification of the main interventions toward improving appropriateness and represents a challenge for drug utilization research. Data from this study suggest that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), benzodiazepines and antibacterials can be areas of improving prescribing appropriateness.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Zito
- Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA), Rome, Italy
| | - E. Poluzzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - G. Onder
- Department of Geriatrics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacral Heart, Rome, Italy
| | - R. Da Cas
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - I. Ippoliti
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Pharmacoepidemiology Unit, Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - C. Lunghi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - A. Cangini
- Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA), Rome, Italy
| | - F. Trotta
- Italian Medicine Agency (AIFA), Rome, Italy
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10
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Gosselin M, Talbot D, Simard M, Chiu YM, Mésidor M, Boiteau V, Carmichael PH, Sirois C. Classifying Polypharmacy According to Pharmacotherapeutic and Clinical Risks in Older Adults: A Latent Class Analysis in Quebec, Canada. Drugs Aging 2023; 40:573-583. [PMID: 37149556 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-023-01028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The simplistic definition of polypharmacy, often designated as the concomitant use of five medications or more, does not distinguish appropriate from inappropriate polypharmacy. Classifying polypharmacy according to varying levels of health risk would help optimise medication use. OBJECTIVE We aimed to characterise different types of polypharmacy among older adults and evaluate their association with mortality and institutionalisation. METHODS Using healthcare databases from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System, we selected a community-based random sample of the population ≥ 66 years old covered by the public drug plan. Categorical indicators used to describe polypharmacy included number of medications, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), drug-drug interactions, enhanced surveillance medications, complex route of administration medications, anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) score and use of blister cards. We used a latent class analysis to subdivide participants into distinct groups of polypharmacy. Their association with 3-year mortality and institutionalisation was assessed with adjusted Cox models. RESULTS In total, 93,516 individuals were included. A four-class model was selected with groups described as (1) no polypharmacy (46% of our sample), (2) high-medium number of medications, low risk (33%), (3) medium number of medications, PIM use with or without high ACB score (8%) and (4) hyperpolypharmacy, complex use, high risk (13%). Using the class without polypharmacy as the reference, all polypharmacy classes were associated with 3-year mortality and institutionalisation, with the most complex/inappropriate classes denoting the highest risk (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval]: class 3, 70-year-old point estimate for mortality 1.52 [1.30-1.78] and institutionalisation 1.86 [1.52-2.29]; class 4, 70-year-old point estimate for mortality 2.74 [2.44-3.08] and institutionalisation 3.11 [2.60-3.70]). CONCLUSIONS We distinguished three types of polypharmacy with varying pharmacotherapeutic and clinical appropriateness. Our results highlight the value of looking beyond the number of medications to assess polypharmacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Gosselin
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Québec, Canada
- VITAM, Centre de recherche en santé durable, Québec, Canada
- CHU de Québec- Université Laval Research Centre, Québec, Canada
| | - D Talbot
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- CHU de Québec- Université Laval Research Centre, Québec, Canada
| | - M Simard
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Québec, Canada
- VITAM, Centre de recherche en santé durable, Québec, Canada
- CHU de Québec- Université Laval Research Centre, Québec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Y M Chiu
- VITAM, Centre de recherche en santé durable, Québec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
- Faculty of pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - M Mésidor
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of medicine, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
- CHU de Québec- Université Laval Research Centre, Québec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - V Boiteau
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - P-H Carmichael
- Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - C Sirois
- Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Québec, Canada.
- VITAM, Centre de recherche en santé durable, Québec, Canada.
- CHU de Québec- Université Laval Research Centre, Québec, Canada.
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Québec, Canada.
- Faculty of pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
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11
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Farrell B, Raman-Wilms L, Sadowski CA, Mallery L, Turner J, Gagnon C, Cole M, Grill A, Isenor JE, Mangin D, McCarthy LM, Schuster B, Sirois C, Sun W, Upshur R. A Proposed Curricular Framework for an Interprofessional Approach to Deprescribing. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDUCATOR 2023; 33:551-567. [PMID: 37261023 PMCID: PMC10226933 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-022-01704-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Deprescribing involves reducing or stopping medications that are causing more harm than good or are no longer needed. It is an important approach to managing polypharmacy, yet healthcare professionals identify many barriers. We present a proposed pre-licensure competency framework that describes essential knowledge, teaching strategies, and assessment protocols to promote interprofessional deprescribing skills. The framework considers how to involve patients and care partners in deprescribing decisions. An action plan and example curriculum mapping exercise are included to help educators assess their curricula, and select and implement these concepts and strategies within their programs to ensure learners graduate with competencies to manage increasingly complex medication regimens as people age. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01704-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Farrell
- Bruyère Research Institute, 43 Bruyère St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5C8 Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON Canada
| | - Lalitha Raman-Wilms
- College of Pharmacy, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Centre On Aging, Winnipeg, MB Canada
| | - Cheryl A. Sadowski
- Faculty of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Laurie Mallery
- Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada
| | - Justin Turner
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC Canada
- Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Camille Gagnon
- Canadian Deprescribing Network, Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, QC Canada
| | - Mollie Cole
- Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Allan Grill
- Dept. of Family & Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
- Markham Family Health Team, Markham, ON Canada
- Ontario Renal Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer E. Isenor
- College of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada
| | - Dee Mangin
- David Braley & Nancy Gordon Chair in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON Canada
- Department of General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Lisa M. McCarthy
- Bruyère Research Institute, 43 Bruyère St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5C8 Canada
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON Canada
- Institute for Better Health and Pharmacy Department, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, ON Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy & Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
- Women’s College Research Institute, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Brenda Schuster
- College of Medicine (Regina Campus), University of Saskatchewan, Regina, Saskachewan Canada
| | - Caroline Sirois
- Centre d’excellence Sur Le Vieillissement de Québec & VITAM - Research Centre On Sustainable Health, Québec, Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Winnie Sun
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ontario Tech University, Oshawa, ON Canada
- Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON Canada
| | - Ross Upshur
- Division of Clinical Public Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
- Bridgepoint Collaboratory for Research and Innovation, Toronto, ON Canada
- Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health, Toronto, ON Canada
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
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12
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Lunghi C, Rochette L, Massamba V, Tardif I, Ouali A, Sirois C. Psychiatric and non-psychiatric polypharmacy among older adults with schizophrenia: Trends from a population-based study between 2000 and 2016. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1080073. [PMID: 36825148 PMCID: PMC9941679 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1080073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder associated with multiple psychiatric and non-psychiatric comorbidities. As adults with schizophrenia age, they may use many medications, i.e., have polypharmacy. While psychiatric polypharmacy is well documented, little is known about trends and patterns of global polypharmacy. This study aimed to draw a portrait of polypharmacy among older adults with schizophrenia from 2000 to 2016. Methods: This population-based cohort study was conducted using the data of the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System of the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec to characterize recent trends and patterns of medication use according to age and sex. We identified all Quebec residents over 65 years with an ICD-9 or ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia between 2000 and 2016. We calculated the total number of medications used by every individual each year and the age-standardized proportion of individuals with polypharmacy, as defined by the usage of 5+, 10+, 15+, and 20+ different medications yearly. We identified the clinical and socio-demographic factors associated with polypharmacy using robust Poisson regression models considering the correlation of the responses between subjects and analyzed trends in the prevalence of different degrees of polypharmacy. Results: From 2000 to 2016, the median number of medications consumed yearly rose from 8 in 2000 to 11 in 2016. The age-standardized proportion of people exposed to different degrees of polypharmacy also increased from 2000 to 2016: 5+ drugs: 76.6%-89.3%; 10+ drugs: 36.9%-62.2%; 15+: 13.3%-34.4%; 20+: 3.9%-14.4%. Non-antipsychotic drugs essentially drove the rise in polypharmacy since the number of antipsychotics remained stable (mean number of antipsychotics consumed: 1.51 in 2000 vs. 1.67 in 2016). In the multivariate regression, one of the main clinically significant factor associated with polypharmacy was the number of comorbidities (e.g., Polypharmacy-10+: RR[2 VS. 0-1] = 1.4; 99% IC:1.3-1.4, RR[3-4] = 1.7 (1.7-1.8); RR[5+] = 2.1 (2.1-2.2); Polypharmacy-15+: RR[2 VS 0-1] = 1.6; 99% IC:1.5-1.7, RR[3-4] = 2.5 (2.3-2.7); RR[5+] = 4.1 (3.8-4.5). Conclusion: There was a noticeable increase in polypharmacy exposure among older adults with schizophrenia in recent years, mainly driven by non-antipsychotic medications. This raises concerns about the growing risks for adverse effects and drug-drug interactions in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Lunghi
- Department of Health Sciences, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Lévis, QC, Canada,Population Health and Optimal Health Practices, CHU de Québec - Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC, Canada,Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy,Institut national de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: Carlotta Lunghi, ,
| | - Louis Rochette
- Institut national de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Amina Ouali
- Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Caroline Sirois
- Population Health and Optimal Health Practices, CHU de Québec - Université Laval Research Center, Québec, QC, Canada,Institut national de Santé Publique du Québec, Québec, QC, Canada,Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada,Quebec Excellence Centre on Aging, VITAM Research Centre on Sustainable Health, Québec, QC, Canada
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13
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Casula M, Ardoino I, Franchi C. Appropriateness of the Prescription and Use of Medicines: An Old Concept but More Relevant than Ever. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2700. [PMID: 36768066 PMCID: PMC9915431 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The availability of drugs to treat diseases, control symptoms, or prevent their onset is one of the most important resources for maintaining health [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Casula
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS MultiMedica, Sesto S. Giovanni, 20099 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Ardoino
- Laboratory of Pharmacoepidemiology and Human Nutrition, Department of Health Policy, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Carlotta Franchi
- Laboratory of Pharmacoepidemiology and Human Nutrition, Department of Health Policy, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, 20156 Milan, Italy
- Italian Institute for Planetary Health (IIPH), 20156 Milan, Italy
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14
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Cebrino J, Portero de la Cruz S. Polypharmacy and associated factors: a gender perspective in the elderly Spanish population (2011-2020). Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1189644. [PMID: 37153776 PMCID: PMC10160439 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1189644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Few studies have examined the epidemiology of polypharmacy in non-institutionalized elderly adults with regard to sex differences. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of polypharmacy among people ≥65 years old residing in Spain, analyze trends in that prevalence from 2011/12 to 2020, describe the use of the medicines involved and study the possible relationship between polypharmacy and certain sociodemographic, health-related variables, as well as the use of care services by sex. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study with 21,841 non-institutionalized people ≥65 years old from the Spanish National Health Survey (2011/2012 and 2017) and the European Health Survey in Spain (2014 and 2020) was performed. We used descriptive statistics, performing two binary logistic regressions to determine the factors related to polypharmacy. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy was 23.2% (women: 28.1%, men: 17.2%; p < 0.001). The most commonly consumed medicines were analgesics and tranquillizers, relaxants or sleeping pills in elderly women, compared with antihypertensives, antacids and antiulcer drugs and statins for elderly men. In both sexs, the positive predictors of polypharmacy included average, poor and very poor self-perceived states of health, people with overweight and obesity, being severely/non-severely limited due to a health problem, having ≥ three chronic conditions, visits to the family doctor and hospitalization. Among elderly women, negative predictors were alcohol intake, whereas in elderly men positive predictors were being 75-84 years old, being current smokers and having 1, 2 chronic conditions. Conclusion: Polypharmacy has a prevalence of 23.2%, with women accounting for 28.1% and men 17.2% of the total. Knowledge of positive and negative predictors of polypharmacy have important implications for public health efforts to develop or improve health guidelines and strategies for promoting the proper use of medication, particularly in the elderly population by sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Cebrino
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Silvia Portero de la Cruz
- Department of Nursing, Pharmacology and Physiotherapy, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
- Research Group GC12 Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Primary Care, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain
- *Correspondence: Silvia Portero de la Cruz,
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15
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Nivatti J, Halder S, Goel A, Gupta R, Wason R. Elderly Population Has Higher Prevalence of Polypharmacy Associated with Poor Quality of Life and Low Compliance after Recovery from COVID-19. J Midlife Health 2022; 13:288-293. [PMID: 37324784 PMCID: PMC10266574 DOI: 10.4103/jmh.jmh_146_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Long term effects of COVID are not fully understood yet. The geriatric population has been badly affected. The impact of COVID-19 on the health-related quality of life after recovery and patient compliance is a matter of concern especially in the geriatric population where polypharmacy is often prevalent. Aims and Objectives This study intended to observe the occurrence of polypharmacy (PP) among COVID-19 recovered older patients with multimorbidity and explore its association with health-related quality of life and compliance in these patients. Materials and Methods Total 90 patients, above 60 years of age having two or more co-morbidities and recovered from COVID-19 infection were included in this cross-sectional study. Number of pills taken daily by each patient was noted, to determine the occurrence of PP. WHO-QOL-BREF was used to assess the effect of PP on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Medication adherence was measured using a self-reported questionnaire. Results PP was found in 94.4% while hyper polypharmacy was found in 45.56% of patients. The overall mean score of HRQOL in patients with PP was 187.91 ± 32.98, indicating poor quality of life with PP (p value 0.0014) whereas the overall mean score of HRQOL in patients with hyper polypharmacy was 177.41 ± 26.11, showing poor quality of life with hyper polypharmacy (p value 0.0005). Increased number of pills corelated with poor quality of life (r =0.49). The medication adherence was found to be poor in patients who received mean number of pills 10.44 ± 2.62 whereas the adherence was good if the mean number of pills was 8.20 ± 2.63, (p value of 0.0001). Conclusion Polypharmacy is highly prevalent among COVID-19 recovered patients and is associated with poor quality of life as well as poor medication adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyotsana Nivatti
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Sumita Halder
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashish Goel
- Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India
- Department of Medicine, Dr. BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Punjab, India
| | - Rachna Gupta
- Department of Pharmacology, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Rhea Wason
- Department of Pharmacology and Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India
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16
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Strategies and Tools for Supporting the Appropriateness of Drug Use in Older People. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15080977. [PMID: 36015125 PMCID: PMC9412319 DOI: 10.3390/ph15080977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Through this structured review of the published literature, we aimed to provide an up-to-date description of strategies (human-related) and tools (mainly from the digital field) facilitating the appropriateness of drug use in older adults. The evidence of each strategy and tool’s effectiveness and sustainability largely derives from local and heterogeneous experiences, with contrasting results. As a general framework, three main steps should be considered in implementing measures to improve appropriateness: prescription, acceptance by the patient, and continuous monitoring of adherence and risk-benefit profile. Each step needs efforts from specific actors (physicians, patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals) and dedicated supporting tools. Moreover, how to support the appropriateness also strictly depends on the particular setting of care (hospital, ambulatory or primary care, nursing home, long-term care) and available economic resources. Therefore, it is urgent assigning to each approach proposed in the literature the following characteristics: level of effectiveness, strength of evidence, setting of implementation, needed resources, and issues for its sustainability.
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17
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Weinberg L, Walpole D, Lee DK, D'Silva M, Chan JW, Miles LF, Carp B, Wells A, Ngun TS, Seevanayagam S, Matalanis G, Ansari Z, Bellomo R, Yii M. Modern Cardiac Surgical Outcomes in Nonagenarians: A Multicentre Retrospective Observational Study. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:865008. [PMID: 35911518 PMCID: PMC9330044 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.865008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There have been multiple recent advancements in the selection, optimisation and management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However, there is limited data regarding the outcomes in nonagenarians, despite this cohort being increasingly referred for these interventions. The objective of this study was to describe the patient characteristics, management and outcomes of a cohort of nonagenarians undergoing cardiac surgery receiving contemporary peri-operative care. Methods After receiving ethics approval, we conducted a retrospective observational study of nonagenarians who had undergone cardiac surgery requiring a classic median sternotomy. All operative indications were included. We excluded patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), and surgery on the thoracic aorta via an endovascular approach (TEVAR). Patients undergoing TEVAR often have the procedure done under sedation and regional blocks with local anesthetic solution. There is no open incision and these patients do not require cardiopulmonary bypass. We also excluded patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery via a videoscope assisted approach. These patients do not have a median sternotomy, have the procedure done via erector spinae block, and often are extubated on table. Data were collected from four hospitals in Victoria, Australia, over an 8-year period (January 2012–December 2019). The primary objective was to assess 6-month mortality in nonagenarian patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to provide a detailed overview of postoperative complications. We hypothesized that cardiac surgery in nonagenarian patients would be associated with a 6-month postoperative mortality <10%. As a secondary outcome, we hypothesized that significant postoperative complications (i.e., Clavien Dindo Grade IIIb or greater) would occur in > 30% of patients. Results A total of 12,358 adult cardiac surgery patients underwent surgery during the study period, of whom 18 nonagenarians (0.15%) fulfilled inclusion criteria. The median (IQR) [min-max] age was 91.0 years (90.0:91.8) [90–94] and the median body mass index was 25.0 (kg/m2) (22.3:27.0). Comorbidities, polypharmacy, and frailty were common. The median predicted mortality as per EuroSCORE-II was 6.1% (4.1:14.5). There were no cases of intra-operative, in-hospital, or 6-month mortality. One (5.6%) patient experienced two Grade IIIa complications. Three (16.7%) patients experienced Grade IIIb complications. Three (16.7%) patients had an unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days of discharge. The median value for postoperative length of stay was 11.6 days (9.8:17.6). One patient was discharged home and all others were discharged to an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Conclusion In this selected, contemporary cohort of nonagenarian patients undergoing cardiac surgery, postoperative 6-month mortality was zero. These findings support carefully selected nonagenarian patients being offered cardiac surgery (Trials Registry: https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12622000058774.aspx).
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Weinberg
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Critical Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Laurence Weinberg
| | - Dominic Walpole
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Dong Kyu Lee
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea
| | - Michael D'Silva
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jian Wen Chan
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Lachlan Fraser Miles
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Critical Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bradly Carp
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Adam Wells
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Epworth Eastern Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Tuck Seng Ngun
- Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - George Matalanis
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ziauddin Ansari
- Department of Intensive Care, Epworth Eastern Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Rinaldo Bellomo
- Department of Critical Care, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Intensive Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael Yii
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Epworth Eastern Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino C, Chocano-Bedoya PO, Sadlon A, Theiler R, Orav JE, Vellas B, Rizzoli R, Kressig RW, Kanis JA, Guyonnet S, Lang W, Egli A, Bischoff-Ferrari HA. Prevalence of polypharmacy in community-dwelling older adults from seven centres in five European countries: a cross-sectional study of DO-HEALTH. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e051881. [PMID: 35487733 PMCID: PMC9058693 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of polypharmacy and characteristics associated with polypharmacy in older adults from seven European cities. DESIGN Cross-sectional study of baseline data from DO-HEALTH. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS DO-HEALTH enrolled 2157 community-dwelling adults age 70 and older from seven centres in Europe. Participants were excluded if they had major health problems or Mini-Mental State Examination Score <24 at baseline. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES Extensive information on prescription and over-the-counter medications were recorded. Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of five or more medications, excluding vitamins or dietary supplements. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to test the association of sociodemographic factors (age, sex, years of education, living situation and city) and health-related indicators (number of comorbidities, cognitive function, frailty status, body mass index (BMI), prior fall, self-rated health and smoking status) with polypharmacy. RESULTS 27.2% of participants reported polypharmacy ranging from 16.4% in Geneva to 60.8% in Coimbra. In the multivariable logistic regression analyses, older age (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.10), greater BMI (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.12) and increased number of comorbidities (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.92 to 2.36) were associated with polypharmacy. Women were less likely to report polypharmacy than men (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.84). In comparison to participants from Zurich, participants from Coimbra were more likely to report polypharmacy (OR 2.36; 95% CI 1.56 to 3.55), while participants from Geneva or Toulouse were less likely to report polypharmacy ((OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.22 to 0.59 and OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.96), respectively). Living situation, smoking status, years of education, prior fall, cognitive function, self-rated health and frailty status were not significantly associated with polypharmacy. CONCLUSION Polypharmacy is common among relatively healthy older adults, with moderate variability across seven European cities. Independent of several confounders, being a woman, older age, greater BMI and greater number of comorbidities were associated with increased odds for polypharmacy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01745263.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline de Godoi Rezende Costa Molino
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patricia O Chocano-Bedoya
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Population Health Lab, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Angélique Sadlon
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Robert Theiler
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John E Orav
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard University T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bruno Vellas
- Gérontopôle de Toulouse, Institut du Vieillissement, Center Hospitalo-Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- UMR INSERM 1027, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Rene Rizzoli
- Division of Bone Diseases, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Reto W Kressig
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine Felix Platter, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - John A Kanis
- Centre for Metabolic Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sophie Guyonnet
- Gérontopôle, Department of Geriatrics, CHU Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- Cerpop Inserm UMR 1295, University of Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
| | - Wei Lang
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Egli
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heike A Bischoff-Ferrari
- Centre on Aging and Mobility, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich City Hospital-Waid, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Aging Medicine and Aging Research, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Clinic for Aging Medicine, City Hospital Zurich, Waid, Zurich, Switzerland
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Dalin DA, Frandsen S, Madsen GK, Vermehren C. Exploration of Symptom Scale as an Outcome for Deprescribing: A Medication Review Study in Nursing Homes. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15050505. [PMID: 35631333 PMCID: PMC9143953 DOI: 10.3390/ph15050505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of inappropriate medication is an increasing problem among the elderly, leading to hospitalizations, mortality, adverse effects, and lower quality of life (QoL). Deprescribing interventions (e.g., medication reviews (MRs)) have been examined as a possible remedy for this problem. In order to be able to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of a deprescribing intervention, quality of life (QoL) has increasingly been used as an outcome. The sensitivity of QoL measurements may, however, not be sufficient to detect a change in specific disease symptoms, e.g., a flair-up in symptoms or relief of side effects after deprescribing. Using symptom assessments as an outcome, we might be able to identify and evaluate the adverse effects of overmedication and deprescribing alike. The objective of this study was to explore whether symptom assessment is a feasible and valuable method of evaluating outcomes of MRs among the elderly in nursing homes. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been investigated before. We performed a feasibility study based on an experimental design and conducted MRs for elderly patients in nursing homes. Their symptoms were registered at baseline and at a follow-up 3 months after performing the MR. In total, 86 patients, corresponding to 68% of the included patients, received the MR and completed the symptom questionnaires as well as the QoL measurements at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Forty-eight of these patients had at least one deprescribing recommendation implemented. Overall, a tendency towards the improvement of most symptoms was seen after deprescribing, which correlated with the tendencies observed for the QoL measurements. Remarkably, deprescribing did not cause a deterioration of symptoms or QoL, which might otherwise be expected for patients of this age group, of whom the health is often rapidly declining. In conclusion, it was found that symptom assessments were feasible among nursing home residents and resulted in additional relevant information about the potential benefits and harms of deprescribing. It is thus recommended to further explore the use of symptom assessment as an outcome of deprescribing interventions, e.g., in a controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Abelone Dalin
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark; (D.A.D.); (S.F.)
| | - Sara Frandsen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark; (D.A.D.); (S.F.)
| | - Gitte Krogh Madsen
- General practice ”Roskilde Lægehus”, Roskilde, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark;
| | - Charlotte Vermehren
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark; (D.A.D.); (S.F.)
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, PHARMA, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-38-63-52-09
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Sirois C, Boiteau V, Chiu Y, Gilca R, Simard M. Exploring the associations between polypharmacy and COVID-19-related hospitalisations and deaths: a population-based cohort study among older adults in Quebec, Canada. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e060295. [PMID: 35256449 PMCID: PMC8905411 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To study the association between polypharmacy and the risk of hospitalisation and death in cases of COVID-19 in the population over the age of 65. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System, composed of five medico-administrative databases, in the province of Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS 32 476 COVID-19 cases aged over 65 whose diagnosis was made between 23 February 2020 and 15 March 2021, and who were covered by the public drug insurance plan (thus excluding those living in long-term care). We counted the number of different medications they claimed between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020. OUTCOME MEASURES Robust Poisson regression was used to calculate relative risk of hospitalisation and death associated with the use of multiple medications, adjusting for age, sex, chronic conditions, material and social deprivation and living environment. RESULTS Of the 32 476 COVID-19 cases included, 10 350 (32%) were hospitalised and 4146 (13%) died. Compared with 0-4 medications, polypharmacy exposure was associated with increased hospitalisations, with relative risks ranging from 1.11 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.19) for those using 5-9 medications to 1.62 (95% CI 1.51 to 1.75) for those using 20+. Similarly, the risk of death increased with the number of medications, from 1.13 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.30) for those using (5-9 medications to 1.97 (95% CI 1.70 to 2.27) (20+). Increased risk was mainly observed in younger groups. CONCLUSIONS Polypharmacy was significantly associated with the risk of hospitalisations and deaths related to COVID-19 in this cohort of older adults. Polypharmacy may represent a marker of vulnerability, especially for younger groups of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Sirois
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Véronique Boiteau
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yohann Chiu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rodica Gilca
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marc Simard
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
- Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université Laval, Quebec, Quebec, Canada
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21
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Tesfaye BT, Tessema MT, Yizengaw MA, Bosho DD. Potentially inappropriate medication use among older adult patients on follow-up at the chronic care clinic of a specialized teaching hospital in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatr 2021; 21:530. [PMID: 34620116 PMCID: PMC8496040 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02463-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Older adult patients are prone to potentially inappropriate medication use (PIMU); its use has been associated with multiple adverse consequences. As a result, it is crucial to determine the magnitude and factors associated with PIMU. The present study was mainly aimed to determine and assess the magnitude and predictors of potentially inappropriate medication use in older adult patients on follow-up at the chronic care clinic of Jimma medical center. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted involving 219 patients aged 65 years and above on treatment follow-up. Data was collected using a checklist. The 2019 updated American Geriatric Society (AGS) Beers Criteria® and Screening Tool of Older People’s Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions criteria and Screening Tool to Alert Doctors to Right Treatment (STOPP/START) criteria (version 2) were employed to assess PIMU. SPSS IBM (v22) was used for data entry and analysis. Categorical variables were described using frequency and percentage, whereas continuous variables were described using mean with standard deviation (SD) or median with interquartile range (IQR). Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of PIMU. Results The average number of medications prescribed per patient was 4.0 (IQR = 2.0). At least one PIMU was identified in 182 (83.1%) and 99 (45.2%) patients, based on Beers and STOPP criteria, respectively. Additionally, potential prescription omission (PPO) was observed in 24 (10.9%) patients. The risk of Beers PIMU was increased with age [AOR = 1.21, p < 0.001], hypertension [AOR = 4.17, p < 0.001], and polypharmacy [AOR = 14.10, p < 0.001], while a decrease in the risk was noted in patients with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke [AOR = 0.133, p = 0.01] and asthma [AOR = 0.03, p < 0.001]. Using STOPP criteria, hypertension [AOR = 2.10, p = 0.04], diabetes mellitus [AOR = 2.26, p = 0.04], ischemic heart disease [AOR = 2.84, p = 0.04], peripheral neuropathy [AOR = 10.61, p < 0.001], and polypharmacy [AOR = 6.10, p < 0.001] significantly increased the risk of PIMU. Conclusions Regardless of the screening tool used to assess, the present study revealed PIMU in the large proportion of the participants. Multiple medication use and certain disease condition had increased the probability of PIMU. Hence, it is imperative to use screening tools for reviewing medications prescribed in older adult patients to ensure safety of medication therapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02463-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behailu Terefe Tesfaye
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jimma University, P.O.BOX: 378, Jimma, Ethiopia.
| | - Mihret Terefe Tessema
- School of Pharmacy, Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jimma University Medical Center, P.O.BOX: 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Mengist Awoke Yizengaw
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jimma University, P.O.BOX: 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Dula Dessalegn Bosho
- School of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Institute of Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jimma University, P.O.BOX: 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
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22
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Barry HE, Hughes CM. An Update on Medication Use in Older Adults: a Narrative Review. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2021; 8:108-115. [PMID: 34306966 PMCID: PMC8294219 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-021-00274-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The global phenomenon of population aging is impacting the health and care needs of society. The use of medications by older adults is acknowledged to be the most common form of medical intervention for many acute and chronic conditions and prescribing in this population continues to increase. In this narrative review, we summarise the age-related factors that should be considered when prescribing for older adults, address some of the perennial challenges related to medicine use in older people, and highlight important emerging research in this area. Recent Findings A range of age-related factors should be considered when prescribing for older adults. However, the evidence base still lacks data pertaining to older adults due to their continued under-representation in clinical trials. Multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and inappropriate prescribing continue to remain prevalent among older adults, although recent research has been focused on the development and evaluation of complex interventions to address these challenges. Summary Further high-quality studies of interventions to improve and support medication use in older adults are needed, ensuring that older adults are well represented in such trials and consideration is given to the measurement of patient- and provider-focused outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Barry
- Primary Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL UK
| | - Carmel M Hughes
- Primary Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL UK
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Sirois C, Khoury R, Durand A, Deziel PL, Bukhtiyarova O, Chiu Y, Talbot D, Bureau A, Després P, Gagné C, Laviolette F, Savard AM, Corbeil J, Badard T, Jean S, Simard M. Exploring polypharmacy with artificial intelligence: data analysis protocol. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak 2021; 21:219. [PMID: 34284765 PMCID: PMC8290537 DOI: 10.1186/s12911-021-01583-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polypharmacy is common among older adults and it represents a public health concern, due to the negative health impacts potentially associated with the use of several medications. However, the large number of medication combinations and sequences of use makes it complicated for traditional statistical methods to predict which therapy is genuinely associated with health outcomes. The project aims to use artificial intelligence (AI) to determine the quality of polypharmacy among older adults with chronic diseases in the province of Québec, Canada. METHODS We will use data from the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System (QICDSS). QICDSS contains information about prescribed medications in older adults in Quebec collected over 20 years. It also includes diagnostic codes and procedures, and sociodemographic data linked through a unique identification number for each individual. Our research will be structured around three interconnected research axes: AI, Health, and Law&Ethics. The AI research axis will develop algorithms for finding frequent patterns of medication use that correlate with health events, considering data locality and temporality (explainable AI or XAI). The Health research axis will translate these patterns into polypharmacy indicators relevant to public health surveillance and clinicians. The Law&Ethics axis will assess the social acceptability of the algorithms developed using AI tools and the indicators developed by the Heath axis and will ensure that the developed indicators neither discriminate against any population group nor increase the disparities already present in the use of medications. DISCUSSION The multi-disciplinary research team consists of specialists in AI, health data, statistics, pharmacy, public health, law, and ethics, which will allow investigation of polypharmacy from different points of view and will contribute to a deeper understanding of the clinical, social, and ethical issues surrounding polypharmacy and its surveillance, as well as the use of AI for health record data. The project results will be disseminated to the scientific community, healthcare professionals, and public health decision-makers in peer-reviewed publications, scientific meetings, and reports. The diffusion of the results will ensure the confidentiality of individual data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Sirois
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada. .,Quebec National Institute of Public Health, Quebec, QC, Canada. .,Centre d'excellence sur le vieillissement de Québec, Hôpital St-Sacrement, Local L2-28, 1050, chemin Ste-Foy, Quebec, QC, G1S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Richard Khoury
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Audrey Durand
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Yohann Chiu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Denis Talbot
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Bureau
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Després
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Physics, Physical Engineering and Optics, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Christian Gagné
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - François Laviolette
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | | | - Jacques Corbeil
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Thierry Badard
- Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, Department of Geomatic Science, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Sonia Jean
- Quebec National Institute of Public Health, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Simard
- Quebec National Institute of Public Health, Quebec, QC, Canada
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Hall RK, Morton S, Wilson J, Ephraim PL, Boulware LE, St Peter WL, Colón-Emeric C, Pendergast J, Scialla JJ. Risks associated with continuation of potentially inappropriate antihypertensive medications in older adults receiving hemodialysis. BMC Nephrol 2021; 22:232. [PMID: 34147085 PMCID: PMC8214789 DOI: 10.1186/s12882-021-02438-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES After dialysis initiation, older adults may experience orthostatic or post-dialysis hypotension. Some orthostasis-causing antihypertensives (i.e., central alpha agonists and alpha blockers), are considered potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for older adults because they carry more risk than benefit. We sought to (1) describe antihypertensive PIM prescribing patterns before and after dialysis initiation and (2) ascertain the potential risk of adverse outcomes when these medications are continued after dialysis initiation. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS Using United States Renal Data System data, we evaluated monthly prevalence of antihypertensive PIM claims in the period before and after dialysis initiation among older adults aged ≥66 years initiating in-center hemodialysis in the US between 2013 and 2014. Patients with an antihypertensive PIM prescription at hemodialysis initiation and who survived for 120 days were classified as 'continuers' or 'discontinuers' based on presence or absence of a refill within the 120 days after initiation. We compared rates of hospitalization and risk of death across these groups from day 121 through 24 months after dialysis initiation. RESULTS Our study included 30,760 total patients, of whom 5981 (19%) patients had an antihypertensive PIM claim at dialysis initiation and survived ≥120 days. Most [65% (n = 3920)] were continuers. Those who continued (versus discontinued) were more likely to be black race (26% versus 21%), have dual Medicare-Medicaid coverage (31% versus 27%), have more medications on average (12 versus 9) and have no functional limitations (84% versus 80%). Continuers experienced fewer all-cause hospitalizations and deaths, but neither were statistically significant after adjustment (Hospitalization: RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.86, 1.00; Death: HR 0.89, 95% CI: 0.78-1.02). CONCLUSIONS Nearly one in five older adults had an antihypertensive PIM at dialysis initiation. Among those who survived ≥120 days, continuation of an antihypertensive PIM was not associated with increased risk of all-cause hospitalization or mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasheeda K Hall
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Box DUMC 2747, 2424 Erwin Road Suite 605, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Sarah Morton
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan Wilson
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Patti L Ephraim
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - L Ebony Boulware
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Box DUMC 2747, 2424 Erwin Road Suite 605, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Wendy L St Peter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Care and Health Systems, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Cathleen Colón-Emeric
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Box DUMC 2747, 2424 Erwin Road Suite 605, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jane Pendergast
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Julia J Scialla
- Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Vallejo Maroto I, Cubo Romano P, Mafé Nogueroles MC, Matesanz-Fernández M, Pérez-Belmonte LM, Said Criado I, Gómez-Huelgas R, Díez Manglano J. Recommendations on the comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of hospitalized elderly people. Position of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. Rev Clin Esp 2021; 221:347-358. [PMID: 38108495 DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This position paper describes the most relevant and essential aspects of a comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of hospitalized elderly people. The change in demographic patterns and the epidemiological profiles of diseases makes it necessary for internal medicine departments to adapt in order to take into account the vulnerabilities of the elderly in this context. A comprehensive, multidimensional assessment and the multidisciplinary development of a care plan during hospitalization can have an impact in terms of preventing mortality, disability, and institutionalization at discharge. It is necessary for all internists to acquire skills to improve the hospitalization experience in the elderly and obtain better health outcomes in our patients. This document has been developed by the Focus Group on Aging and the Polypathological and Advanced Age Working Group and endorsed by the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Vallejo Maroto
- Unidad de Continuidad Asistencial de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
| | - P Cubo Romano
- Unidad del Paciente Crónico Complejo, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Madrid, España
| | - M C Mafé Nogueroles
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de Crónicos y Larga Estancia La Pedrera, Alicante, España
| | - M Matesanz-Fernández
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti de Lugo, Lugo, España
| | - L M Pérez-Belmonte
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - I Said Criado
- Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, Vigo, España
| | - R Gómez-Huelgas
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, España
| | - J Díez Manglano
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Royo Villanova, Zaragoza, España
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26
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Vallejo Maroto I, Cubo Romano P, Mafé Nogueroles MC, Matesanz-Fernández M, Pérez-Belmonte LM, Said Criado I, Gómez-Huelgas R, Díez Manglano J. Recommendations on the comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of hospitalized elderly people. Position of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine. Rev Clin Esp 2021; 221:347-358. [PMID: 34059234 DOI: 10.1016/j.rceng.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
This position paper describes the most relevant and essential aspects of a comprehensive, multidimensional assessment of hospitalized elderly people. The change in demographic patterns and the epidemiological profiles of diseases makes it necessary for internal medicine departments to adapt in order to take into account the vulnerabilities of the elderly in this context. A comprehensive, multidimensional assessment and the multidisciplinary development of a care plan during hospitalization can have an impact in terms of preventing mortality, disability, and institutionalization at discharge. It is necessary for all internists to acquire skills to improve the hospitalization experience in the elderly and obtain better health outcomes in our patients. This document has been developed by the Focus Group on Aging and the Polypathological and Advanced Age Working Group and endorsed by the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Vallejo Maroto
- Unidad de Continuidad Asistencial de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, Spain.
| | - P Cubo Romano
- Unidad del Paciente Crónico Complejo, Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Madrid, Spain
| | - M C Mafé Nogueroles
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de Crónicos y Larga Estancia La Pedrera, Alicante, Spain
| | - M Matesanz-Fernández
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Lucus Augusti de Lugo, Lugo, Spain
| | - L M Pérez-Belmonte
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - I Said Criado
- Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Álvaro Cunqueiro, Vigo, Spain
| | - R Gómez-Huelgas
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - J Díez Manglano
- Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Royo Villanova, Zaragoza, Spain
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Laberge M, Sirois C, Lunghi C, Gaudreault M, Nakamura Y, Bolduc C, Laroche ML. Economic Evaluations of Interventions to Optimize Medication Use in Older Adults with Polypharmacy and Multimorbidity: A Systematic Review. Clin Interv Aging 2021; 16:767-779. [PMID: 33981140 PMCID: PMC8108125 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s304074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To conduct a systematic review of the economic impact of interventions intended at optimizing medication use in older adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Methods We searched Ovid-Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Ageline, Cochrane, and Web of Science, for articles published between 2004 and 2020 that studied older adults with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The intervention studied had to be aimed at optimizing medication use and present results on costs. Results Out of 3,871 studies identified by the search strategy, eleven studies were included. The interventions involved different provider types, with a majority described as a multidisciplinary team involving a pharmacist and a general practitioner, in the decision-making process. Interventions were generally associated with a reduction in medication expenditure. The benefits of the intervention in terms of clinical outcomes remain limited. Five studies were cost-benefit analyses, which had a net benefit that was either null or positive. Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analyses resulted in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios that were generally within the willingness-to-pay thresholds of the countries in which the studies were conducted. However, the quality of the studies was generally low. Omission of key cost elements of economic evaluations, including intervention cost and payer perspective, limited interpretability. Conclusion Interventions to optimize medication use may provide benefits that outweigh their implementation costs, but the evidence remains limited. There is a need to identify and address barriers to the scaling-up of such interventions, starting with the current incentive structures for pharmacists, physicians, and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maude Laberge
- Department of Operations & Decision Systems, Faculty of Administration, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Vitam, Centre de recherche en santé durable-Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Caroline Sirois
- Vitam, Centre de recherche en santé durable-Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.,Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Institut National de santé publique du Québec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Carlotta Lunghi
- Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Health Sciences, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
| | - Myriam Gaudreault
- Faculty of Administration, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yumiko Nakamura
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Carolann Bolduc
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie-Laure Laroche
- Centre de Pharmacovigilance, de Pharmacoépidémiologie et d'information sur les médicaments, Service de Pharmacologie, Toxicologie et Pharmacovigilance, CHU de Limoges, Limoges, France.,Laboratoire Vie-Santé, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France
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Mucherino S, Gimeno-Miguel A, Carmona-Pirez J, Gonzalez-Rubio F, Ioakeim-Skoufa I, Moreno-Juste A, Orlando V, Aza-Pascual-Salcedo M, Poblador-Plou B, Menditto E, Prados-Torres A. Changes in Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy Patterns in Young and Adult Population over a 4-Year Period: A 2011-2015 Comparison Using Real-World Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18094422. [PMID: 33919351 PMCID: PMC8122591 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The pressing problem of multimorbidity and polypharmacy is aggravated by the lack of specific care models for this population. We aimed to investigate the evolution of multimorbidity and polypharmacy patterns in a given population over a 4-year period (2011–2015). A cross-sectional, observational study among the EpiChron Cohort, including anonymized demographic, clinical and drug dispensation information of all users of the public health system ≥65 years in Aragon (Spain), was performed. An exploratory factor analysis, stratified by age and sex, using an open cohort was carried out based on the tetra-choric correlations among chronic diseases and dispensed drugs during 2011 and compared with 2015. Seven baseline patterns were identified during 2011 named as: mental health, respiratory, allergic, mechanical pain, cardiometabolic, osteometabolic, and allergic/derma. Of the epidemiological patterns identified in 2015, six were already present in 2011 but a new allergic/derma one appeared. Patterns identified in 2011 were more complex in terms of both disease and drugs. Results confirmed the existing association between age and clinical complexity. The systematic associations between diseases and drugs remain similar regarding their clinical nature over time, helping in early identification of potential interactions in multimorbid patients with a high risk of negative health outcomes due to polypharmacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Mucherino
- CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.M.); (V.O.)
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Gimeno-Miguel
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jonas Carmona-Pirez
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisca Gonzalez-Rubio
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Drug Utilization Work Group, Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SemFYC), 28004 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Drug Utilization Work Group, Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SemFYC), 28004 Madrid, Spain
- Vaksinasjonssenter BSN, Bydel Søndre Nordstrand, Oslo Kommune, 1252 Oslo, Norway
| | - Aida Moreno-Juste
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Valentina Orlando
- CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.M.); (V.O.)
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mercedes Aza-Pascual-Salcedo
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Poblador-Plou
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Enrica Menditto
- CIRFF, Center of Drug Utilization and Pharmacoeconomics, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (S.M.); (V.O.)
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081678660
| | - Alexandra Prados-Torres
- EpiChron Research Group, Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), IIS Aragón, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain; (A.G.-M.); (J.C.-P.); (F.G.-R.); (I.I.-S.); (A.M.-J.); (M.A.-P.-S.); (B.P.-P.); (A.P.-T.)
- Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), ISCIII, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Potentially Inappropriate Medication among Older Patients Who Are Frequent Users of Outpatient Services. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18030985. [PMID: 33499419 PMCID: PMC7908147 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18030985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Aging is accompanied by changes in organ degeneration, and susceptibility to multiple diseases, leading to the frequent occurrence of adverse drug reactions resulting from polypharmacy (PP) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) in older patients. This study employs a retrospective cohort design and investigates the association of PP with PIM among older patients with high rates of medical utilization. Using records from a national pharmaceutical care database, an experimental group is formed from patients meeting these criteria, who are then offered home pharmaceutical care. Correspondingly, a control group is formed by identifying older patients with regular levels of use of medical services who had been dispensed medications at community pharmacies. Multivariate logistic regression is performed to assess the association between the rate of PIM and variables, including age, gender, and PP. The study finds that experimental PP participants had a higher rate of PIM prescription (odds ratio (OR) = 5.4) than non-PP control participants (all p < 0.001). In clinical practice, additional caution is required to avoid PIMs. Patients engaged in continuously using long-term medication should take precautions in daily life to alleviate related discomforts. Pharmacists should serve as a bridge between patients and physicians to enhance their health and improve their quality of life.
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Govaerts J, Boeyckens J, Lammens A, Gilis A, Bouckaert F, De Hert M, De Lepeleire J, Stubbs B, Desplenter F. Defining polypharmacy: in search of a more comprehensive determination method applied in a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2021; 11:20451253211000610. [PMID: 33796267 PMCID: PMC7985946 DOI: 10.1177/20451253211000610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS This cross-sectional pharmacoepidemiologic study examined the prevalence of polypharmacy and psychotropic polypharmacy among inpatients in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Belgium. METHODS Current prescriptions of all inpatients suffering from mental disorders were extracted from the hospital Computerized Physician Order Entry. Two methods were used to examine definitive polypharmacy (defined as the concomitant use of at least five medicines): number of medicines per active component and per prescription. Psychotropic polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of at least two psychotropic medicines, based on the first counting, i.e., per active component. RESULTS In 292 included patients, the prevalence of definitive polypharmacy was 65.8%, with a mean number of 6.8 ± 4.2 medicines per patient. The most prevalent medicines were related to the central nervous system (55.7%), followed by medicines related to the gastro-intestinal (17.6%) and cardiovascular (9.4%) systems. A prevalence of psychotropic polypharmacy of 78.1% was observed, with a mean of 3.0 ± 1.7 psychotropic medicines per patient. Psychotropic polypharmacy was classified in same-class (71.5%), multi-class (82.5%), augmentation (20.6%), and adjuvant (35.5%) polypharmacy. CONCLUSION These findings are consistent with previous reports of highly prevalent polypharmacy in patients with mental disorders. Although, in some cases, polypharmacy can be an important part of good clinical practice, the high prevalence of both polypharmacy and psychotropic polypharmacy emphasizes that attention must be paid to the potentially associated risks. Consensus on the definition and method of determination of polypharmacy is needed to support further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Govaerts
- University Psychiatric Center Katholieke Universiteit (KU) Leuven, Leuvensesteenweg 517, Kortenberg, 3070, Belgium
| | - Julie Boeyckens
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Astrid Lammens
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Gilis
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Filip Bouckaert
- University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Marc De Hert
- University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | | | - Brendon Stubbs
- Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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A New Care Model Reduces Polypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Long-Term Care. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2020; 22:141-147. [PMID: 33221164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.09.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Assess the impact of a new pharmaceutical care model on (1) polypharmacy and (2) potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in long-term care facilities (LTCFs). DESIGN Pragmatic quasi-experimental study with a control group. This multifaceted model enables pharmacists and nurses to increase their professional autonomy by enforcing laws designed to expand their scope of practice. It also involves a strategic reorganization of care, interdisciplinary training, and systematic medication reviews. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Two LTCFs exposed to the model (409 residents) were compared to 2 control LTCFs (282 residents) in Quebec, Canada. All individuals were aged 65 years or older and residing in included LTCFs. MEASURES Polypharmacy (≥10 medications) and PIM (2015 Beers criteria) were analyzed throughout 12 months between March 2017 and June 2018. Groups were compared before and after implementation using repeated measures mixed Poisson or logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS Over 12 months, for regular medications, polypharmacy decreased from 42% to 20% (exposed group) and from 50% to 41% (control group) [difference in differences (DID): 13%, P < .001]. Mean number of PIMs also decreased from 0.79 to 0.56 (exposed group) and from 1.08 to 0.90 (control group) (DID: 0.05, P = .002). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Compared with usual care, this multifaceted model reduced the probability of receiving ≥10 medications and the mean number of PIMs. Greater professional autonomy, reorganization of care, training, and medication review can optimize pharmaceutical care. As the role of pharmacists is expanding in many countries, this model shows what could be achieved with increased professional autonomy of pharmacists and nurses in LTCFs.
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Gagnon ME, Sirois C, Simard M, Roux B, Plante C. Potentially inappropriate medications in older individuals with diabetes: A population-based study in Quebec, Canada. Prim Care Diabetes 2020; 14:529-537. [PMID: 32402848 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM To study the population-based prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) among older individuals with diabetes, and to identify factors associated with their use. METHODS We used the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System (QICDSS) database to conduct a population-based cohort study of individuals with diabetes ≥66 years between April 1st, 2014 and March 31st, 2015. PIMs were defined according to the 2015 Beers Criteria. Factors associated with PIM use were identified using robust Poisson regression models. Risk ratios (RR) and 99% confidence intervals (99%CI) were calculated. RESULTS More than half (56%) of the 286,962 older individuals with diabetes used at least one PIM over a year. Benzodiazepines (41%), proton pump inhibitors (27%) and endocrine medication (mainly glibenclamide) (25%) were the most common PIMs used. Factors associated with PIM use included female sex (RR: 1.17; 99%CI: 1.16-1.18), and comorbidities such as schizophrenia (1.48; 1.45-1.51), anxiety disorders (1.34; 1.33-1.35) and Alzheimer's disease (1.14; 1.13-1.25). Risks of using PIMs increased both with increasing comorbidities and number of medications. CONCLUSION PIM use is highly prevalent among older individuals with diabetes. Interventions to promote optimal medication use should particularly target individuals with comorbidities and polypharmacy who are most vulnerable to adverse drug events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Eve Gagnon
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, 1050 ave de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 945 ave Wolfe, Québec G1V 5B3, Canada
| | - Caroline Sirois
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, 1050 ave de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada; Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 945 ave Wolfe, Québec G1V 5B3, Canada; Centre d'Excellence sur le Vieillissement de Québec, 1050 Chemin Ste-Foy, Local L2-28, Québec G1S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Marc Simard
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 945 ave Wolfe, Québec G1V 5B3, Canada
| | - Barbara Roux
- Pharmacology-Toxicology and Pharmacovigilance Department, University Hospital of Limoges, 2 ave Martin-Luther-King, 87042 Limoges, France; INSERM UMR 1248, University of Limoges, Limoges, France
| | - Céline Plante
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 945 ave Wolfe, Québec G1V 5B3, Canada
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Gontijo Guerra S, Berbiche D, Vasiliadis HM. Changes in instrumental activities of daily living functioning associated with concurrent common mental disorders and physical multimorbidity in older adults. Disabil Rehabil 2020; 43:3663-3671. [PMID: 32255362 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2020.1745303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) are key indicators of general functional status that are frequently used to assess the autonomy of older adults living in the community.Aims: To evaluate the changes in IADL in community-living older adults and the role of common mental disorders and physical multimorbidity in predicting these changes.Method: A secondary analysis including participants from the Longitudinal Survey on Senior's Health and Health Services. Self-reported sociodemographic and clinical information on chronic conditions were obtained at baseline interview (n = 1615). Measures of IADL were obtained at two time points, 3 years apart. Administrative data on physician diagnoses of chronic diseases were linked to self-reported information. Logistic and multinomial regression models were used to study the outcomes of interest.Results: More than one-third of participants reported disability. Significant increase in global and specific IADL tasks disability were observed over time. Concurrent mental and physical chronic conditions predicted persistent and future incidence of disability.Conclusions: We draw attention to the synergistic effect of mental and physical co-morbidities on IADL functioning and to the importance of the simultaneous management of these conditions in order to prevent disability, future decline and the associated health and societal burden.Implications for RehabilitationBy establishing the prevalence of global and specific IADL disability, we can better recognize the needs of older adults and inform health and social care planning.Influenced by the morbidity profile, older adults may experience decline, improvement or maintenance of autonomy in IADL over time.The presence of synergistic effect of physical and mental chronic conditions on functioning suggests that their simultaneous management is crucial in delaying or preventing disability.Reports of significant impairment in tasks such as taking medication calls attention to the need for increased accessibility to programs on medication management.The progressive loss of ability to take medication among multimorbid patients emphasize the need for therapeutic plans that circumvent polypharmacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Gontijo Guerra
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne - Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Longueuil, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Campus Longueuil, Longueuil, QC, Canada
| | - Djamal Berbiche
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne - Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Longueuil, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada
| | - Helen-Maria Vasiliadis
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne - Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Longueuil, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, QC, Canada
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Lunghi C, Antonazzo IC, Burato S, Raschi E, Zoffoli V, Forcesi E, Sangiorgi E, Menchetti M, Roberge P, Poluzzi E. Prevalence and Determinants of Long-Term Utilization of Antidepressant Drugs: A Retrospective Cohort Study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020; 16:1157-1170. [PMID: 32440131 PMCID: PMC7213896 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s241780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Antidepressant consumption has risen in recent years, driven by longer treatment duration. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of antidepressant long-term and chronic use in the Bologna area, Italy, and to identify their main determinants. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective claims-based cohort study by using the Bologna Local Health Authority data. A cohort of 18,307 incident users of antidepressant drugs in 2013 was selected, and subjects were followed for three years. A long-term utilization was defined as having at least one prescription claimed during each year of follow-up, while chronic utilization was defined as claiming at least 180 defined daily doses per year. Factors associated with chronic and long-term use were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. RESULTS In our cohort, 5448 (29.8%) and 1817 (9.9%) subjects were dispensed antidepressants for a long-term course and in a chronically way, respectively. Older age, antidepressant polytherapy, polypharmacy, and being prescribed the first antidepressant by a hospital physician were all factors independently associated with chronic and long-term prescriptions of antidepressant drugs. Results were reported separately for men and women. CONCLUSION Antidepressant long-term and chronic prescriptions are common in the Bologna area. Because longer treatment should be clinically motivated, these results strongly prompt the need to evaluate the actual relevance, as they may indicate potentially inappropriate prescription patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Lunghi
- Department of Health Sciences, Université Du Québec À Rimouski, Lévis, Québec, Canada.,Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,Groupe De Recherche PRIMUS, Centre De Recherche Du CHUS, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Ippazio Cosimo Antonazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Burato
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emanuel Raschi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Violetta Zoffoli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emanuele Forcesi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elisa Sangiorgi
- Drug Policy Service, Emilia Romagna Region Health Authority, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Menchetti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pasquale Roberge
- Groupe De Recherche PRIMUS, Centre De Recherche Du CHUS, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université De Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Elisabetta Poluzzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Pharmacology Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Aprahamian I, Morley JE. Editorial: To Drug or Not to Drug: The Geriatrician Dilemma of Polypharmacy. J Nutr Health Aging 2020; 24:809-811. [PMID: 33009528 DOI: 10.1007/s12603-020-1451-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I Aprahamian
- John E. Morley, MB, BCh, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Saint Louis University, SLUCare Academic Pavilion, Section 2500, 1008 S. Spring Ave., 2nd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63110, , Twitter: @drjohnmorley
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Schnegg D, Senn N, Bugnon O, Schwarz J, Mueller Y. Drug Prescription in Older Swiss Men and Women Followed in Family Medicine. Drugs Real World Outcomes 2019; 7:87-95. [PMID: 31845213 PMCID: PMC7060976 DOI: 10.1007/s40801-019-00175-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We sought to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy, the most prevalent drug classes involved, and the prevalence and type of potentially inappropriate prescribing among older male and female patients in family medicine. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of baseline data from a pragmatic cluster-randomised trial on the efficacy of a screening and management tool for geriatric syndromes among older community-dwelling patients (aged ≥ 75 years) included by 42 family physicians. Information on drug prescription and clinical diagnoses (International Classification of Primary Care-2nd Edition [ICPC-2] coded) were extracted manually from medical records. The prevalence of polypharmacy, defined as the use of at least five permanent oral or parenteral drugs, and of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), identified according to 2015 updated Beers criteria, were compared between men and women. RESULTS We included 429 patients (269 women and 160 men; mean age 82.9 and 81.8 years, respectively). Polypharmacy was found in 59.9% of them. Analgesics, antithrombotic agents and agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system were the most frequently prescribed drug categories. Three-quarters of patients (76.7%) were prescribed at least one PIM according to Beers criteria, without difference by sex/gender (p = 0.760). The most frequent PIMs were proton-pump inhibitors used for > 8 weeks, diuretics, benzodiazepines, aspirin for primary prevention, and chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Prescription patterns markedly differed by sex/gender, but the number and patterns of inappropriate prescriptions were comparable overall. INTERPRETATION Both polypharmacy and PIMs were very common in older patients followed regularly in family medicine in Switzerland. Interestingly, most PIMs involved only a limited number of medication classes. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02618291.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Senn
- Department of Family Medicine/Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Bugnon
- Department of Family Medicine/Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joëlle Schwarz
- Department of Family Medicine/Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yolanda Mueller
- Department of Family Medicine/Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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