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Etherton-Beer C, Page A, Criddle D, Somers G, Parkinson L, Clifford R, Mangin D. The Australian Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction (AusTAPER) hospital study: effect of a collaborative medication review on the number of current regular medicines for older hospital inpatients. Intern Med J 2024. [PMID: 39207237 DOI: 10.1111/imj.16510] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Potentially harmful polypharmacy is a growing public health concern. This article aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured Team Approach to Polypharmacy Evaluation and Reduction (AusTAPER) framework. METHODS We recruited patients at metropolitan hospitals for a randomised controlled trial with 12 months of follow-up. The intervention included a comprehensive medicines history, multidisciplinary meeting and medicines review prior to discharge, with engagement with the participants' general practitioner extending after discharge. The primary outcome was the change in the number of regular medicines used at 12 months from baseline. A cost consequence was performed to estimate costs per participant during the study period. RESULTS There were 98 participants enrolled in the study. The number of regular medicines was significantly reduced from baseline in both groups (-1.7 ± 4.3, t = 2.38, P = 0.02 in the control group vs -2.7 ± 3.6, t = 4.48, P = 0.0001 in the intervention group), although there was no statistical difference detected between the two groups (1.0 (SE 0.9), t = 1.03, P = 0.31). The intervention was estimated to cost AU$644.17 and was associated with cost savings of AU$552.53 per participant in sustained reduced medicines cost. Health outcomes and healthcare costs were similar in both groups. DISCUSSION Medicines were significantly reduced in both groups, with a trend to a larger reduction in medicines at 12 months in the intervention group. The intervention cost was approximately offset by sustained reduced medicines cost, although these results should be regarded cautiously because of the absence of significance in the differences in outcomes between groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Page
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Deirdre Criddle
- Complex Needs Coordination Team, South Metropolitan Health Service, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - George Somers
- School of Rural Health, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Lynne Parkinson
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rhonda Clifford
- School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dee Mangin
- Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- General Practice, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Colalillo JM. Geriatric emergency medicine: Complexity evolves with age. Emerg Med Australas 2024; 36:159-161. [PMID: 38155493 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.14367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- James M Colalillo
- Emergency Department, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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Ghamar-Shooshtari A, Rahimian Z, Poustchi H, Mohammadi Z, Mesgarpour B, Akbari M, Kamalipour A, Abdipour-Mehrian SR, Hashemi ES, Zare P, Lankarani KB, Malekzadeh R, Malekzadeh F, Vardanjani HM. Polypharmacy and pattern of medication use among patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: results from Pars Cohort study. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:439. [PMID: 38097949 PMCID: PMC10720105 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-03086-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a common chronic condition. Its chronic nature may affect the pattern of medication use. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, associated factors, and patterns of polypharmacy and medication use among GERD patients in southwestern Iran. METHODS We used data from the Pars Cohort Study. We classified drugs using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system. The Lexicomp® database was used to assess potential drug-drug interactions. Multivariable Poisson regression was applied. Adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated. RESULTS A total of 9262 participants were included. Among 2,325 patients with GERD, age-standardized prevalence of polypharmacy was 9.5% (95% CI: 7.5%, 11.6%) in males, and 19.3% (95% CI: 17.2%, 21.4%) in females. The PR of experiencing Polypharmacy by GERD patients compared to non-GERD patients was 1.82 (95% CI: 1.61, 2.05%). Multimorbidity (PR: 3.33; CI: 2.66, 4.15), gender (PR: 1.68; CI: 1.30, 2.18), and metabolic syndrome (PR: 1.77; CI: 1.45, 2.15) were associated with polypharmacy among GERD patients. Drugs for acid-related disorders were the most common used drugs among men, women and elders. We found that 13.9%, 4.2%, and 1.1% of GERD patients had type C, D and X drug interactions, respectively. CONCLUSION GERD is correlated with a higher prevalence of polypharmacy. Among GERD patients, females, those with multi-morbidities, and those with metabolic syndrome may be affected more by polypharmacy. Considering the fairly high rate of interactions identified, a review of the medication list is essential when approaching GERD patients, and physicians must check for medications that may worsen GERD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arash Ghamar-Shooshtari
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Ophtalmology Resident of Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Rahimian
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Hossein Poustchi
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Mohammadi
- Liver and Pancreatobiliary Disease Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bita Mesgarpour
- Vice Chancellery for Research and Technology, National Institute for Medical Research and Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammadreza Akbari
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Shiraz Nephro-Urology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Alireza Kamalipour
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shiley Eye Institute, Hamilton Glaucoma Center, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Elham-Sadat Hashemi
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Pooria Zare
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Pathology Resident of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Kamran Bagheri Lankarani
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Malekzadeh
- Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Malekzadeh
- Digestive Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Molavi Vardanjani
- MD-MPH Department, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of Medicine, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Kable A, Fraser S, Fullerton A, Hullick C, Palazzi K, Oldmeadow C, Pond CD, Searles A, Ling R, Bruce R, Murdoch W, Attia J. Evaluation of the Effect of a Safe Medication Strategy on Potentially Inappropriate Medications, Polypharmacy and Anticholinergic Burden for People with Dementia: An Intervention Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2771. [PMID: 37893845 PMCID: PMC10606387 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11202771] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
People with dementia (PWD) are at risk for medication-related harm due to their impaired cognition and frequently being prescribed many medications. This study evaluated a medication safety intervention (including pharmacist medication reconciliation and review) for PWD during an unplanned admission to hospital. This article reports the effect of the intervention on polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), and anticholinergic burden scores for PWD. A pre-post design using an intervention site and a control site was conducted in 2017-2019, in a regional area in New South Wales, Australia. Polypharmacy, PIMs, and anticholinergic burden were measured at admission, discharge, and three months after discharge. There were 628 participants including 289 at the control site and 339 at the intervention site. Polypharmacy was 95% at admission and 90% at discharge. PIMs at admission were 95-98% across timepoints and decreased significantly at discharge. The mean anticholinergic score decreased significantly between admission (2.40-3.15) and discharge (2.01-2.57). Reduced PIMs at discharge were correlated with reduced anticholinergic burden (rho = 0.48-0.55, p < 0.001). No significant differences were identified between the study and control sites for Polypharmacy, PIMs, and anticholinergic burden rates and scores. High rates of polypharmacy and PIMs in this study indicate a study population with multiple comorbidities. This intervention was feasible to implement but was limited due to difficulty recruiting participants and deaths during the study. Future multisite studies should be designed to recruit larger study samples to evaluate interventions for improving medication safety for PWD and improve outcomes for these vulnerable people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Kable
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Samantha Fraser
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Anne Fullerton
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Carolyn Hullick
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
| | - Kerrin Palazzi
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
| | - Christopher Oldmeadow
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
| | - Constance Dimity Pond
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
| | - Andrew Searles
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
| | - Rod Ling
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
| | - Remia Bruce
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
| | - Wendy Murdoch
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
| | - John Attia
- Hunter New England Local Health District, Rankin Park, Newcastle, NSW 2287, Australia; (S.F.); (A.F.); (C.H.); (R.B.); (W.M.); (J.A.)
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, NSW 2305, Australia; (K.P.); (C.O.); (A.S.); (R.L.)
- School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia;
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Hilmer SN, Lo S, Kelly PJ, Viney R, Blyth FM, Le Couteur DG, McLachlan AJ, Arora S, Hossain L, Gnjidic D. Towards Optimizing Hospitalized Older adults' MEdications (TO HOME): Multi-centre study of medication use and outcomes in routine care. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2023; 89:2508-2518. [PMID: 36987555 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Comprehensively investigate prescribing in usual care of hospitalized older people with respect to polypharmacy; potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) according to Beers criteria; and cumulative anticholinergic and sedative medication exposure calculated with Drug Burden Index (DBI). Specifically, to quantify exposure to these measures on admission, changes between admission and discharge, associations with adverse outcomes and medication costs. METHODS Established new retrospective inpatient cohort of 2000 adults aged ≥75 years, consecutively admitted to 6 hospitals in Sydney, Australia, with detailed information on medications, clinical characteristics and outcomes. Conducted cross-sectional analyses of index admission data from cohort. RESULTS Cohort had mean (standard deviation) age 86.0 (5.8) years, 59% female, 21% from residential aged care. On admission, prevalence of polypharmacy was 77%, PIMs 34% and DBI > 0 in 53%. From admission to discharge, mean difference (95% confidence interval) in total number of medications increased 1.05 (0.92, 1.18); while prevalence of exposure to PIMs (-3.8% [-5.4, -2.1]) and mean DBI score (-0.02 [-0.04, -0.01]) decreased. PIMs and DBI score were associated with increased risks (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) of falls (PIMs 1.63 [1.28, 2.08]; DBI score 1.21[1.00, 1.46]) and delirium (PIMs 1.76 [1.38, 1.46]; DBI score 1.42 [1.19, 1.71]). Each measure was associated with increased risk of adverse drug reactions (polypharmacy 1.42 [1.19, 1.71]; PIMs 1.87 [1.40, 2.49]; DBI score 1.90 [1.55, 2.15]). Cost (AU$/patient/hospital day) of medications contributing to PIMs and DBI was low ($0.29 and $0.88). CONCLUSION In this large cohort of older inpatients, usual hospital care results in an increase in number of medications and small reductions in PIMs and DBI, with variable associations with adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Hilmer
- Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Australia
| | - Sarita Lo
- Kolling Institute, The University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Australia
| | - Patrick J Kelly
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rosalie Viney
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Fiona M Blyth
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David G Le Couteur
- Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Hospital and The University of Sydney, Concord, Australia
| | - Andrew J McLachlan
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sheena Arora
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lutfun Hossain
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Danijela Gnjidic
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Homes RAP, Giddens F, Francis RS, Hubbard RE, Gordon EH, Midwinter MJ. The sublingual microcirculation and frailty index in chronic kidney disease patients. Microcirculation 2023; 30:e12819. [PMID: 37285445 PMCID: PMC10909441 DOI: 10.1111/micc.12819] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between sublingual microcirculatory measures and frailty index in those attending a kidney transplant assessment clinic. METHODS Patients recruited had their sublingual microcirculation taken using sidestream dark field videomicroscopy (MicroScan, Micro Vision Medical, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and their frailty index score using a validated short form via interview. RESULTS A total of 44 patients were recruited with two being excluded due to microcirculatory image quality scores exceeding 10. The frailty index score indicated significant correlations with total vessel density (p < .0001, r = -.56), microvascular flow index (p = .004, r = -.43), portion of perfused vessels (p = .0004, r = -.52), heterogeneity index (p = .015, r = .32), and perfused vessel density (p < .0001, r = -.66). No correlation was shown between the frailty index and age (p = .08, r = .27). CONCLUSIONS There is a relationship between the frailty index and microcirculatory health in those attending a kidney transplant assessment clinic, that is not confounded by age. These findings suggest that the impaired microcirculation may be an underlying cause of frailty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A. P. Homes
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Fiona Giddens
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faulty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ross S. Francis
- Department of NephrologyPrincess Alexandra HospitalBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Faculty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Ruth E. Hubbard
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faulty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Emily H. Gordon
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faulty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Mark J. Midwinter
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of MedicineThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
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Page AT, Potter K, Naganathan V, Hilmer S, McLachlan AJ, Lindley RI, Coman T, Mangin D, Etherton-Beer C. Polypharmacy and medicine regimens in older adults in residential aged care. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2023; 105:104849. [PMID: 36399891 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe medicines regimens used by older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study presents baseline data from a randomised controlled trial in seventeen Australian RACFs that recruited residents aged 65 years and older at the participating facilities. The main outcome measures were to evaluation of medicines utilisation, including the number of medicines, medicine regimen complexity, potential under-prescribing and high-risk prescribing (prescribing cascades, anticholinergic or sedative medicines or other potentially inappropriate medicines) with data analysed descriptively. RESULTS Medicines regimens were analysed for 303 residents (76% female) with a mean age of 85.0 ± 7.5 years, of whom the majority were living with dementia (72%). Residents were prescribed an average of 10.3 ± 4.5 regular medicines daily. Most participants (85%) had highly complex regimens. Most residents (92%) were exposed to polypharmacy (five or more medicines). Nearly all, 302 (98%) residents had at least one marker of potentially suboptimal prescribing. At least one instance of potential under-prescribing was identified in 86% of residents. At least one instance of high-risk prescribing was identified in 81% of residents including 16% of participants with at least one potential prescribing cascade. CONCLUSION(S) Potentially suboptimal prescribing affected almost all residents in this study, and most had highly complex medicines regimens. If generalisable, these findings indicate most older people in RACFs may be at risk of medicines-related harm from suboptimal prescribing, in addition to the burden of administration of complex medicines regimens for facility staff and residents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Theresa Page
- Centre for Optimisation of Medicines, School of Allied Health, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; WA Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | | | - Vasi Naganathan
- Centre for Education and Research on Ageing (CERA), Department of Geriatric Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia; Concord Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Hilmer
- Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew J McLachlan
- ydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard I Lindley
- University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia and the George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia
| | - Tracy Coman
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, University Drive Meadowbrook, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Christopher Etherton-Beer
- WA Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
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Muhandiramge J, Dev T, Kong J, Hall K, Wadhwa V. In‐hospital deprescribing in the real world – a clinician‐led approach to hyperpolypharmacy. JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jppr.1844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jaidyn Muhandiramge
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University Melbourne Australia
- Austin Health Heidelberg, Melbourne Australia
- Eastern Health Clinical School Monash University & Deakin University Melbourne Australia
| | - Tara Dev
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Monash University Melbourne Australia
- Eastern Health Clinical School Monash University & Deakin University Melbourne Australia
| | - Jason Kong
- Department of General Medicine Maroondah Hospital, Eastern Health Melbourne Australia
| | - Kylie Hall
- Department of General Medicine Maroondah Hospital, Eastern Health Melbourne Australia
| | - Vikas Wadhwa
- Eastern Health Clinical School Monash University & Deakin University Melbourne Australia
- Department of General Medicine Maroondah Hospital, Eastern Health Melbourne Australia
- Rural Clinical School University of Melbourne Shepparton Australia
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Lee GB, Etherton-Beer C, Hosking SM, Pasco JA, Page AT. The patterns and implications of potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults: a narrative review. Ther Adv Drug Saf 2022; 13:20420986221100117. [PMID: 35814333 PMCID: PMC9260603 DOI: 10.1177/20420986221100117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the context of an ageing population, the burden of disease and medicine use is
also expected to increase. As such, medicine safety and preventing avoidable
medicine-related harm are major public health concerns, requiring further
research. Potentially suboptimal medicine regimens is an umbrella term that
captures a range of indicators that may increase the risk of medicine-related
harm, including polypharmacy, underprescribing and high-risk prescribing, such
as prescribing potentially inappropriate medicines. This narrative review aims
to provide a background and broad overview of the patterns and implications of
potentially suboptimal medicine regimens among older adults. Original research
published between 1990 and 2021 was searched for in MEDLINE, using key search
terms including polypharmacy, inappropriate prescribing, potentially
inappropriate medication lists, medication errors, drug interactions and drug
prescriptions, along with manual checking of reference lists. The review
summarizes the prevalence, risk factors and clinical outcomes of polypharmacy,
underprescribing and potentially inappropriate medicines. A synthesis of the
evidence regarding the longitudinal patterns of polypharmacy is also provided.
With an overview of the existing literature, we highlight a number of key gaps
in the literature. Directions for future research may include a longitudinal
investigation into the risk factors and outcomes of extended polypharmacy,
research focusing on the patterns and implications of underprescribing and
studies that evaluate the applicability of tools measuring potentially
inappropriate medicines to study settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgie B Lee
- Epi-Centre for Healthy Ageing, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Deakin University, HERB-Building Level 3, C/- University Hospital Geelong, 285 Ryrie Street, P.O. Box 281, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | | | - Sarah M Hosking
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Julie A Pasco
- Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Amy T Page
- WA Centre for Health and Ageing, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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Reid O, Ngo J, Lalic S, Su E, Elliott RA. Paracetamol dosing in hospital and on discharge for older people who are frail or have low body weight. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 88:4565-4572. [PMID: 35535712 PMCID: PMC9546042 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims To describe paracetamol dosing and liver function test (LFT) monitoring in older hospital inpatients who are frail or have low body weight. Methods Retrospective observational study, at a 790‐bed metropolitan public health service in Australia. Patients aged ≥70 years, with body weight <50 kg or frailty index based on laboratory data (FI‐Lab) score ≥0.3, who were administered paracetamol during an admission with length‐of‐stay >72 hours, were included. Data were extracted from electronic medical records. Paracetamol doses administered in hospital, and doses prescribed on discharge, were compared against consensus guidelines that recommended ≤60 mg/kg/d for older people weighing <50 kg, and ≤3000 mg/d for frail older people. Results In total, 240 admissions (n = 229 patients, mean age 84.7 years) were analysed. During 150 (62.5%) admissions, higher than recommended paracetamol doses were prescribed. On 138 (57.5%) occasions, patients were prescribed paracetamol on discharge, and 112/138 (81.2%) doses were higher than recommended. Most discharge prescriptions (97/138, 70.3%) were for regular administration. The median daily dose on discharge for patients <50 kg was 83.7 mg/kg (interquartile range 73.6–90.9 mg/kg). For frail patients ≥50 kg, the median daily discharge dose was 3990 mg (interquartile range 3000–4000 mg). LFTs were measured in hospital for 151/200 (75.5%) and 93/166 (56.0%) patients who received paracetamol for >48 hours and >5 days, respectively. Conclusion Majority of paracetamol doses prescribed for frail or low‐weight older patients in hospital and on discharge were higher than recommended in consensus guidelines. LFTs were not measured for 44% patients who received paracetamol regularly for >5 days. Further studies are needed to explore long‐term outcomes of this practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Reid
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Janet Ngo
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Samanta Lalic
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Present address: Pharmacy Department, Monash Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Su
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rohan A Elliott
- Pharmacy Department, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Victoria, Australia.,Victorian Poisons Information Centre, Austin Health, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Factors associated with patient experiences of the burden of using medicines and health-related quality of life: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267593. [PMID: 35482805 PMCID: PMC9049342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267593] [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: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Polypharmacy, defined as the concurrent use of multiple medications, is a growing concern globally. This study aimed to identify the significant factors that predict the perceived burden of medication and health-related quality of life. Methods Adults, aged 18 years and above who have used at least two regular medicines, were invited to complete the study questionnaires between June and October 2019. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify significant predictors for perceived burden of medication and health-related quality of life. Results A total of 119 participants completed this study. The average age of the participants was 63 years (SD±16 years). Factors significantly predicting perceived burden of medication were participants’ current health condition (p = 0.001), overall burden of treatment (p<0.001) and being hypertensive (p = 0.037). Similarly, participants’ current health condition (p<0.001) and overall burden of treatment (p = 0.086) were significant predictors for perceived health-related quality of life. Conclusions This study revealed that hypertensive participants in poor health tended to experience higher perceived burden of medication, which in turn was found to be correlated with lower perceived health-related quality of life.
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12
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Inappropriateness of Proton Pump Inhibitors After Hospital Discharge Is Associated with Thirty-Day Hospital Readmission. Dig Dis Sci 2022; 67:817-825. [PMID: 33723702 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-021-06909-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Concerns have been raised about the adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Rather than PPIs themselves causing harm, we hypothesized that PPIs prescribed without appropriate indications would be associated with adverse outcomes compared to appropriately indicated PPIs. METHODS Adult patients initiated on a new PPI during a hospitalization at our institution from 2014 to 2018 were analyzed. The primary outcome was all-cause 30-day readmission rate. The primary exposure was long-term appropriateness of PPI determined by the presence of prespecified diagnostic codes and discharge medications. Logistic regression modeling was used to estimate the odds of 30-day readmission in patients discharged on inappropriate compared to appropriate new PPIs. RESULTS Of 84,236 patients admitted to our institution, 7745 (9.2%) were discharged on a new PPI, of which 5136 (66.3%) lacked an appropriately documented indication. Inappropriate PPIs were associated with 30-day hospital readmission after adjusting for other factors (adjusted odds ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.53). The excess risk associated with lack of appropriate documentation for PPIs in these patients was 44 readmissions per 1000 hospitalizations (95% confidence interval 21-67). CONCLUSIONS Discharge on inappropriate PPIs was associated with 30-day hospital readmission compared to appropriate PPIs. The harm associated with inappropriate PPIs is not likely due to direct effects of PPIs because all patients in the study received PPIs. Rather, patients who receive inappropriate PPIs may have additional patient-specific factors that place them at increased risk for hospital readmission.
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13
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Ngui K, Lam P, Materne M, Hilmer S. Patient-reported Experience Measures in Deprescribing for Hospitalised Older Patients: A Prospective, Multicentre, Observational Study. Intern Med J 2022. [PMID: 35112777 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospitalisation provides an opportunity for medication review and deprescribing. Patient-reported experience measures (PREM) for deprescribing in older patients in-hospital are not well-described. AIM To pilot test and describe PREM for deprescribing in older patients, compare PREM by patient characteristics, and investigate patients' awareness of medication changes on hospital discharge. METHODS This prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study at two tertiary hospitals in Sydney, Australia, evaluated the PREM questionnaire developed by the NSW Therapeutic Advisory Group. It was completed by patients (or their next of kin) recruited from acute geriatric medicine and orthogeriatric services. Association with nine patient characteristics was analysed using the chi-square test and multivariable regression. Awareness of medication changes and test-retest reliability were analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Overall, 201 participants completed the questionnaire, with 170 eligible for analysis; 34/170 (20%) were aware of reduction or cessation of their usual medications on discharge and reported involvement in decision making and receiving enough information to reduce or stop one or more of their usual medications (positive PREM). Independent predictors of positive PREM included respondent (next of kin), hospital (Hospital 1), language (English), and specialty (acute geriatric medicine). Overall, 92 of 155 (59.4%) patients with medication changes were aware of those changes on hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS These PREMs are a feasible tool to examine older patients' experiences of deprescribing in-hospital and may be applied to evaluate interventions to improve awareness, shared decision making, and provision of information when deprescribing for older patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keat Ngui
- Department of General & Acute Medicine, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool NSW 2170, Australia. Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle
| | - Patrick Lam
- Orthopaedic Research Institute, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St George Hospital Campus, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, Level 2, 4-10 South Street, Kogarah, Sydney, New South Wales, 2217, Australia
| | | | - Sarah Hilmer
- Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Aged Care, Kolling Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards, New South Wales, 2065, Australia
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14
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Thapaliya K, Harris ML, Byles JE. Polypharmacy trajectories among older women with and without dementia: A longitudinal cohort study. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN CLINICAL AND SOCIAL PHARMACY 2021; 3:100053. [PMID: 35480610 PMCID: PMC9031090 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2021.100053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Objective Method Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Kailash Thapaliya
- Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Corresponding author at.: Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, HMRI, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
| | - Melissa L. Harris
- Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie E. Byles
- Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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15
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Perpétuo C, Plácido AI, Rodrigues D, Aperta J, Piñeiro-Lamas M, Figueiras A, Herdeiro MT, Roque F. Prescription of Potentially Inappropriate Medication in Older Inpatients of an Internal Medicine Ward: Concordance and Overlap Among the EU(7)-PIM List and Beers and STOPP Criteria. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:676020. [PMID: 34393774 PMCID: PMC8362883 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.676020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Age-related comorbidities prone older adults to polypharmacy and to an increased risk of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use. This work aims to analyze the concordance and overlap among the EU(7)-PIM list, 2019 Beers criteria, and Screening Tool of Older Person’s Prescriptions (STOPP) version 2 criteria and also to analyze the prevalence of PIM. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on older inpatients of an internal medicine ward. Demographic, clinical, and pharmacological data were collected, during March 2020. After PIM identification by the EU(7)-PIM list, Beers criteria, and STOPP v2 criteria, the concordance and overlap between criteria were analyzed. A descriptive analysis was performed, and all the results with a p-value lower than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 616 older patients were included in the study whose median age was 85 (Q1–Q3) (78–89) years. Most of the older patients were male (51.6%), and the median (Q1–Q3) number of days of hospitalization was 17 (13–22) days. According to the EU(7)-PIM list, Beers criteria, and STOPP criteria, 79.7, 92.0, and 76.5% of older adults, respectively, used at least one PIM. A poor concordance (<63.4%) among criteria was observed. An association between PIM and the number of prescribed medicines was found in all applied criteria. Moreover, an association between the number of PIMs and diagnoses of endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases, mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders, and circulatory system diseases and days of hospitalization was observed according to Beers criteria, and that with diseases of the circulatory system and musculoskeletal system and connective tissue was observed according to STOPP criteria. Conclusion: Despite the poor concordance between the EU(7)-PIM list, 2019 Beers, and STOPP v2 criteria, this work highlights the need for more studies in inpatients to develop strategies to facilitate the identification of PIM to decrease the high prevalence of PIM in hospitalized patients. The poor concordance among criteria also highlights the need to develop new tools adapting the existing criteria to medical ward inpatients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Perpétuo
- Health Sciences School, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Local Health Unit of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal
| | - Ana I Plácido
- Health Sciences School, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda (UDI/IPG), Guarda, Portugal
| | - Daniela Rodrigues
- Health Sciences School, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda (UDI/IPG), Guarda, Portugal
| | - Jorge Aperta
- Health Sciences School, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Local Health Unit of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal
| | - Maria Piñeiro-Lamas
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública- CIBERESP), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Adolfo Figueiras
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública- CIBERESP), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Maria Teresa Herdeiro
- Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine (iBiMED-UA), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fátima Roque
- Health Sciences School, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda, Guarda, Portugal.,Research Unit for Inland Development, Polytechnic Institute of Guarda (UDI/IPG), Guarda, Portugal.,Health Science Research Center (CICS/UBI), University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
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16
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Thiruchelvam K, Byles J, Hasan SS, Egan N, Cavenagh D, Kairuz T. Common combinations of medications used among oldest-old women: a population-based study over 15 years. Aging Clin Exp Res 2021; 33:1919-1928. [PMID: 32909246 DOI: 10.1007/s40520-020-01693-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older people use many medications, but combinations of medications used among the oldest old (≥ 80 years) are not commonly reported. AIMS This study aimed to determine common combinations of medications used among women aged 77-96 years and to describe characteristics associated with these combinations. METHODS A cohort study of older women enroled in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health over a 15-year period was used to determine combinations of medications using latent class analysis. Multinomial logistic regression was used to determine characteristics associated with these combinations. RESULTS The highest medication users during the study were for the cardiovascular (2003: 80.28%; 2017: 85.63%) and nervous (2003: 66.03%; 2017: 75.41%) systems. A 3-class latent model described medication use combinations: class 1: 'Cardiovascular & neurology anatomical group' (27.25%) included participants using medications of the cardiovascular and nervous systems in their later years; class 2: 'Multiple anatomical group' (16.49%) and class 3: 'Antiinfectives & multiple anatomical group' (56.27%). When compared to the reference class (class 1), the risk of participants being in class 3 was slightly higher than being in class 2 if they had > 4 general practitioner visits (RRR 2.37; 95% CI 2.08, 2.71), Department of Veterans Affairs' coverage (RRR 1.59; 95% CI 1.36, 1.86), ≥ 4 chronic diseases (RRR 3.16; 95% CI 2.56, 3.90) and were frail (RRR 1.47; 95% CI 1.27, 1.69). CONCLUSION Identification of combinations of medication use may provide opportunities to develop multimorbidity guidelines and target medication reviews, and may help reduce medication load for older individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaeshaelya Thiruchelvam
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
- International Medical University, 126 Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Julie Byles
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Syed Shahzad Hasan
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH, UK
| | - Nicholas Egan
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Dominic Cavenagh
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, 2305, Australia
| | - Therese Kairuz
- University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
- International Medical University, 126 Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, 57000, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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17
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Rationally decreasing the number of drugs seems to be a useful therapeutic approach in older adults: 6-month follow-up study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2021; 96:104472. [PMID: 34237523 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Older adults are at risk for polypharmacy, which has multidimensional safety, clinical and economic implications. Therefore, the optimization of drug therapy is one of the critical components of geriatrics clinical practice. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of drug rationalization on comprehensive geriatric assessment(CGA) parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was a retrospective and longitudinal study examining the effect of change in drug number on functionality and physical performance. A total of 515 patients were included in the study. Detailed medication history, laboratory findings, CGA parameters were recorded in the first admission. Polypharmacy was accepted as concurrent usage of five or more drugs. Medications of each patient were reviewed with the guidance of CGA and Beers Criteria. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 74.13 ± 7.29 years, and 68.7% were female. The baseline mean number of drugs was 5.11 ± 3.34. The polypharmacy group(269 patients) had a higher rate of geriatric syndromes and lower CGA scores in the first admission. After optimization of medications, the mean drug number decreased to 4.76 ± 2.72. Depression, mobility and nutritional scores improved at the end of six months in the patients whose total number of drugs decreased, while global cognition, activities of daily living scores, and gait speed were preserved. Increasing the number of drugs was associated with lower mobility and functionality. CONCLUSION Drug rationalization guided with CGA improves the nutritional, physical, and psychosocial status of geriatric patients. Thus, medication reviews have key importance in the management of older patients.
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18
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Schneider J, Algharably EAE, Budnick A, Wenzel A, Dräger D, Kreutz R. High Prevalence of Multimorbidity and Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients With Chronic Pain Receiving Home Care are Associated With Multiple Medication-Related Problems. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:686990. [PMID: 34168565 PMCID: PMC8217758 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.686990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To measure the extent of polypharmacy, multimorbidity and potential medication-related problems in elderly patients with chronic pain receiving home care. Methods: Data of 355 patients aged ≥65 years affected by chronic pain in home care who were enrolled in the ACHE study in Berlin, Germany, were analyzed. History of chronic diseases, diagnoses, medications including self-medication were collected for all patients. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of ≥2 chronic conditions and levels were classified by the Charlson-Comorbidity-Index. Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant intake of ≥5 medications. Potentially clinically relevant drug interactions were identified and evaluated; underuse of potentially useful medications as well as overprescription were also assessed. Results: More than half of the patients (55.4%) had moderate to severe comorbidity levels. The median number of prescribed drugs was 9 (range 0-25) and polypharmacy was detected in 89.5% of the patients. Almost half of them (49.3%) were affected by excessive polypharmacy (≥10 prescribed drugs). Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy occurred at all levels of comorbidity. We detected 184 potentially relevant drug interactions in 120/353 (34.0%) patients and rated 57 (31.0%) of them as severe. Underprescription of oral anticoagulants was detected in 32.3% of patients with atrial fibrillation whereas potential overprescription of loop diuretics was observed in 15.5% of patients. Conclusion: Multimorbidity and polypharmacy are highly prevalent in elderly outpatients with chronic pain receiving home care. Medication-related problems that could impair safety of drug treatment in this population are resulting from potentially relevant drug interactions, overprescribing as well as underuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Schneider
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Engi Abd Elhady Algharably
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Budnick
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arlett Wenzel
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dagmar Dräger
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Berlin, Germany
| | - Reinhold Kreutz
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Berlin, Germany
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19
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Mekonnen AB, Redley B, de Courten B, Manias E. Potentially inappropriate prescribing and its associations with health-related and system-related outcomes in hospitalised older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2021; 87:4150-4172. [PMID: 34008195 PMCID: PMC8597090 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS To synthesise associations of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) with health-related and system-related outcomes in inpatient hospital settings. METHODS Six electronic databases were searched: Medline Complete, EMBASE, CINAHL, PyscInfo, IPA and Cochrane library. Studies published between 1 January 1991 and 31 January 2021 investigating associations between PIP and health-related and system-related outcomes of older adults in hospital settings, were included. A random effects model was employed using the generic inverse variance method to pool risk estimates. RESULTS Overall, 63 studies were included. Pooled risk estimates did not show a significant association with all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-1.36; adjusted hazard ratio 1.02, 83% CI 0.90-1.16), and hospital readmission (AOR 1.11, 95% CI 0.76-1.63; adjusted hazard ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.89-1.18). PIP was associated with 91%, 60% and 26% increased odds of adverse drug event-related hospital admissions (AOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.21-3.01), functional decline (AOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.28-2.01), and adverse drug reactions and adverse drug events (AOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11-1.43), respectively. PIP was associated with falls (2/2 studies). The impact of PIP on emergency department visits, length of stay, and health-related quality of life was inconclusive. Economic cost of PIP reported in 3 studies, comprised various cost estimation methods. CONCLUSIONS PIP was significantly associated with a range of health-related and system-related outcomes. It is important to optimise older adults' prescriptions to facilitate improved outcomes of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alemayehu B Mekonnen
- Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Bernice Redley
- Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.,Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research-Monash Health Partnership, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Barbora de Courten
- Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Manias
- Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
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20
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Modi ND, Abuhelwa AY, Badaoui S, Shaw E, Shankaran K, McKinnon RA, Rowland A, Sorich MJ, Hopkins AM. Prediction of severe neutropenia and diarrhoea in breast cancer patients treated with abemaciclib. Breast 2021; 58:57-62. [PMID: 33906086 PMCID: PMC8099659 DOI: 10.1016/j.breast.2021.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Neutropenia and diarrhoea are common and potentially serious adverse events associated with abemaciclib in advanced breast cancer (ABC), and the risk factors have been minimally explored. The study aimed to develop clinical prediction tools that allow personalized predictions of neutropenia and diarrhoea following abemaciclib initiation. Materials and methods Data was pooled from MONARCH 1, 2 and 3 trials investigating abemaciclib. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to assess the association between pre-treatment clinicopathological data and grade ≥3 diarrhoea and neutropenia occurring within the first 365 days of abemaciclib use. Results Older age was associated with increased risk of grade ≥3 diarrhoea [HR [95%CI] for age > 70: 1.72 [1.14–2.58]; P = 0.009]. A clinical prediction tool for abemaciclib induced grade ≥3 neutropenia was optimally defined by race, ECOGPS and white blood cell count. Large discrimination between subgroups was observed; the highest risk subgroup had a 64% probability of grade ≥3 neutropenia within the first 365 days of abemaciclib (150 mg twice daily) + fulvestrant/NSAI, compared to 5% for the lowest risk subgroup. Conclusion The study identified advanced age as significantly associated with an increased risk of abemaciclib induced grade ≥ 3 diarrhoea. A clinical prediction tool, defined by race, ECOGPS and pre-treatment white blood cell count, was able to discriminate subgroups with significantly different risks of grade ≥3 neutropenia following abemaciclib initiation. The tool may enable improved interpretation of personalized risks and the risk-benefit ratio of abemaciclib. Neutropenia and diarrhoea are common adverse effects of abemaciclib. Higher age was associated with abemaciclib induced diarrhoea. White blood cell count, Race, and performance status were linked with neutropenia. A prediction tool was developed to provide personalized risks of neutropenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natansh D Modi
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ahmad Y Abuhelwa
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sarah Badaoui
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emily Shaw
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Kiran Shankaran
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ross A McKinnon
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Andrew Rowland
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michael J Sorich
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ashley M Hopkins
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
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21
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Parkinson L, Magin P, Etherton‐Beer C, Naganathan V, Mangin D. Engaging general practice and patients with AusTAPER, a pharmacist facilitated web‐based deprescribing tool. JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jppr.1713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Parker Magin
- Discipline of General Practice University of Newcastle Newcastle, NSW Australia
| | | | - Vasi Naganathan
- Geriatric Medicine Centre for Education and Research on Ageing Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Sydney Australia
- Ageing and Alzheimer’s Institute Concord Repatriation Hospital Sydney Australia
| | - Derelie Mangin
- Otago University Dunedin New Zealand
- McMaster University Sentinel and Information Hamilton Canada
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22
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Bemand TJ, Thomas S, Finucane P. The extent of polypharmacy and use of 'fall risk increasing drugs' in the oldest old admitted to a regional New South Wales hospital. Australas J Ageing 2021; 40:366-372. [PMID: 33569889 DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE(S) Polypharmacy is associated with significant morbidity including cognitive decline and falls. We sought to quantify the extent of polypharmacy and use of medications associated with fall risk in the very old admitted to a regional NSW hospital. METHODS Cross-sectional study of patients aged over 80 years admitted to a regional NSW hospital from September to October 2019. Demographic data and medication usage on admission were collected. Polypharmacy was defined as regular use of five or more medications. RESULTS A total of 401 patients were included: mean age was 87.2 (±4.6) years and 56.9% were female. Of the participations, 82.9% experienced polypharmacy, and the mean number of medications was 8.2 (±4.2). Of the patients, 91.6% utilised medications associated with risk of falls. There was no association between age and number of preadmission regular medications. CONCLUSION Polypharmacy is extremely common prior to acute hospitalisation for regional older individuals. This highlights the importance of medication rationalisation to reduce medication-related harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy John Bemand
- Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.,Wagga Wagga Rural Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sarah Thomas
- Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Paul Finucane
- Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.,Wagga Wagga Rural Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.,Wagga Wagga Clinical School, University of Notre Dame, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia.,University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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Lo SY, Zhang M, Hubbard RE, Gnjidic D, Redston MR, Hilmer SN. Development and validation of a frailty index based on data routinely collected across multiple domains in NSW hospitals. Australas J Ageing 2020; 40:184-194. [PMID: 33340206 DOI: 10.1111/ajag.12888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE(S) To develop and validate a frailty index (FI) that covers multiple domains, using routine hospital data. To investigate the FI's validity, after excluding medication-related items (FI-ExMeds), for studies of frailty and polypharmacy. METHODS A FI was derived from routine NSW hospital data following standard published guidance. In a development cohort (151 inpatients ≥ 70 years), the FI was correlated with the Reported Edmonton Frail Scale (REFS) using Pearson's R. Validity and distribution of FI and FI-ExMeds, and correlation with each other, were evaluated in a validation cohort (999 inpatients ≥ 75 years). RESULTS The mean FI for the development cohort was 0.27 (SD 0.09). The FI showed moderate linear correlation with the REFS (n = 148, R = 0.52, P < .001). In the validation cohort, mean FI (n = 993) and FI-ExMeds (n = 990) were both 0.28 (SD 0.11). FI-ExMeds showed high linear correlation with the FI (n = 990, R = 0.99, P < .001). CONCLUSION This multi-domain FI is comparable to REFS, with adequate redundancy to exclude deficits for specific analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarita Y Lo
- Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital and Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Meggie Zhang
- Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital and Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ruth E Hubbard
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Health Services Research, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Danijela Gnjidic
- Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre, Sydney School of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mitchell R Redston
- Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital and Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah N Hilmer
- Laboratory of Ageing and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital and Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Opioid prescribing and risk of drug-opioid interactions in older discharged patients with polypharmacy in Australia. Int J Clin Pharm 2020; 43:365-374. [PMID: 33206289 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-020-01191-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Background Opioids are commonly prescribed to managing chronic pain in older persons. However, these patients are often at risk of drug-opioid interactions due to polypharmacy. Objectives To identify the prevalence of opioid prescribing and drug-opioid interactions in poly-medicated older patients and factors associated with opioid prescribing. Setting Patients were included if they were admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital between September 2015 and August 2016, aged ≥ 75 years and took ≥ 5 medications at discharge. Methods After ethics approval, data of were retrospectively collected from case notes. The Charlson Comorbidity Index and Drug Burden Index were determined and opioids were classified as strong or weak. The association between opioid use and concurrent medications was computed using logistic regression and the results presented as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusted for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, number of prescribed medications and modified-Drug Burden Index. Main outcome measure Association between concurrent medications and opioid prescribing. Results 15,000 geriatric admissions were identified, of which 1192 were included. A total of 283 (23.7%) patients were prescribed opioids, with oxycodone accounting for 56% of these prescriptions. Opioid users were prescribed more medications (11.2 vs. 9.0, P < 0.001) and had higher Drug Burden Index (1.2 vs. 0.14, P < 0.001) compared to non-users. Opioid use was associated with concurrent prescription of antiepileptics (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6), and negatively associated with Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.8-0.98) and concurrent use of antipsychotics (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.9) and beta blocking agents (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.6). Conclusions Strong opioids were prescribed more often than weak opioids and opioid users presented with characteristics and concurrent medications which increased the risk of opioid related adverse drug effects.
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25
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Winata S, Liacos M, Crabtree A, Page A, Moran C. Electronic Medication Management System Introduction and Deprescribing Practice in Post-Acute Care. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2020; 22:90-95. [PMID: 33234446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2020.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of introducing an electronic medication management system (EMMS) on deprescribing practice in a post-acute hospital setting. DESIGN This study used a before-after study design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS This study examined the admission and discharge medications prescribed to patients admitted to an Australian post-acute hospital before and after the introduction of an EMMS. METHODS Data were collected over a 1-month period before and after the introduction of an EMMS and included summary measures of drug burden including Potentially Inappropriate Medications and the Drug Burden Index. We calculated and compared admission and discharge medication prescription as well as change in medication use before and after the introduction of an EMMS. RESULTS Medication prescription data were available for 121 people before and 107 people after EMMS introduction. In both phases, when compared with admission, those discharged were prescribed fewer medications (mean reduction pre-EMMS = 2.9, P < .001, post-EMMS = 2.6, P < .001), fewer Potentially Inappropriate Medications (mean reduction pre-EMMS = 0.4, P < .001, post-EMMS = 0.6, P < .001) and had lower Drug Burden Index (mean reduction pre-EMMS = 0.1, P < .001, post-EMMS = 0.2, P < .001). The degree of reduction in each measure was similar before and after EMMS introduction. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS The introduction of an EMMS did not affect deprescribing practice in a post-acute hospital setting. Future work is required to explore the potential for clinical decision support within an EMMS to further improve the safety and effectiveness of deprescribing within post-acute care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanto Winata
- Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Caulfield Hospital, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle Liacos
- Pharmacy Department, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amelia Crabtree
- Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Caulfield Hospital, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amy Page
- Pharmacy Department, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chris Moran
- Department of Rehabilitation and Aged Care, Caulfield Hospital, The Alfred, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Academic Unit, Peninsula Clinical School, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Peninsula Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Ruangritchankul S, Peel NM, Shafiee Hanjani L, Gray LC. The Changes in Medication Prescribing Among the Older People with Cognitive Impairment in the Acute Care Setting. Clin Interv Aging 2020; 15:865-876. [PMID: 32606626 PMCID: PMC7292256 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s252432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Most older people with cognitive impairment usually have multiple comorbidities. In the last decade, the guidelines for the management of chronic diseases have been changed, leading to changes in the patterns of medication prescribing and in the prevalence of drug-related problems (DRPs). The main objectives were to explore the changes in medication use and in the prevalence of polypharmacy (PP), the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) among older hospitalized adults with cognitive impairment in a 5-year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS Older hospitalized patients with cognitive impairment diagnosed by cognitive performance scale (CPS) score of 2 or more at tertiary hospital in Brisbane, Australia in 2009 and 2015 to 2016 were enrolled. Prescribed medication use, and exposures to PP, PIM and/or DDI were evaluated at two time points. The associated factors with patients exposed to >1 criteria of PP, PIM or DDI were analyzed by using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS The median number of prescribed medications was not significantly different between the two periods. The number of medications use as dermatological agents and analgesics substantially increased over 5 years. In contrast, there was a decrease in prescription of drugs for acid-related disorders, drugs used in diabetes, and mineral supplements. Most of the participants were exposed to at least one of PP, PIM or DDI. In multivariate regression analysis, the presence of diabetes diagnosis was a risk factor associated with increased exposure to >1 criteria of PP, PIM or DDI. CONCLUSION The patterns of many prescribed medications use have altered in a 5-year period. The present study confirms that the majority of older adults with cognitive impairment admitted in an acute care setting are prone to PP, PIM and DDI. Comprehensive medication reviews should be undertaken in clinical care of older patients with cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirasa Ruangritchankul
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nancye M Peel
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Leila Shafiee Hanjani
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Leonard C Gray
- Centre for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Ferguson C, Thomson W, Smith M, Kerse N, Peri K, Gribben B. Medication taking in a national sample of dependent older people. Res Social Adm Pharm 2020; 16:299-307. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Sawan M, Reeve E, Turner J, Todd A, Steinman MA, Petrovic M, Gnjidic D. A systems approach to identifying the challenges of implementing deprescribing in older adults across different health-care settings and countries: a narrative review. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2020; 13:233-245. [PMID: 32056451 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2020.1730812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: There is increasing recognition of the need for deprescribing of inappropriate medications in older adults. However, efforts to encourage implementation of deprescribing in clinical practice have resulted in mixed results across settings and countries.Area covered: Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar in June 2019. Reference lists, citation checking, and personal reference libraries were also utilized. Studies capturing the main challenges of, and opportunities for, implementing deprescribing into clinical practice across selected health-care settings internationally, and international deprescribing-orientated policies were included and summarized in this narrative review.Expert opinion: Deprescribing intervention studies are inherently heterogeneous because of the complexity of interventions employed and often do not reflect the real-world. Further research investigating enhanced implementation of deprescribing into clinical practice and across health-care settings is required. Process evaluations in deprescribing intervention studies are needed to determine the contextual factors that are important to the translation of the interventions in the real-world. Deprescribing interventions may need to be individually tailored to target the unique barriers and opportunities to deprescribing in different clinical settings. Introduction of national policies to encourage deprescribing may be beneficial, but need to be evaluated to determine if there are any unintended consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouna Sawan
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Departments of Clinical Pharmacology and Aged Care, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, St Leonards, Australia
| | - Emily Reeve
- Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.,Geriatric Medicine Research, Faculty of Medicine and College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University and Nova Scotia Health Authority, Halifax, Canada
| | - Justin Turner
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Adam Todd
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Science, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Michael A Steinman
- Division of Geriatrics, University of California, San Francisco and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Mirko Petrovic
- Section of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Danijela Gnjidic
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
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Shrestha S, Poudel A, Steadman K, Nissen L. Outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with life-limiting illness and limited life expectancy: A systematic review. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2019; 86:1931-1945. [PMID: 31483057 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.14113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Older patients with life-limiting illness (LLI) and limited life expectancy (LLE) continue to receive potentially inappropriate medicines, consequently deprescribing is often necessary. However, deprescribing in this population can be complex and challenging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the evidence for outcomes of deprescribing interventions in older patients with LLI and LLE. METHODS Studies on deprescribing intervention and their outcomes in age ≥65 years with LLI and LLE were searched using PubMed, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Medication appropriateness was primary outcome, while clinical and cost-related outcomes were secondary. Eligibility, data extraction and quality assessment were followed by a narrative synthesis of data. RESULTS Of 9 studies (1375 participants), 3 reported on primary outcome. One study showed a significant reduction in medication inappropriateness by 34.9% (P < .001) from admission to close-out, the second achieved 29.4% (P < .001) and 15.1% (P = .003) reduction at 12 and 24 months, respectively. The third reported that their intervention stopped (17.2%) and altered the dose (2.6%) of high-risk medications. Commonly reported clinical outcomes were mortality (n = 3), quality of life (n = 2) and falls (n = 2). Outcomes in terms of cost were reported as overall cost (n = 2), medication cost (n = 1) and health care expenditure (n = 1). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that deprescribing in older patients with LLI and LLE can improve medication appropriateness, and has potential for enhancement of several clinical outcomes and cost savings, but the evidence needs to be better established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakti Shrestha
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Arjun Poudel
- School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kathryn Steadman
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lisa Nissen
- School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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30
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Fw Moulds
- Developing Countries Program, Therapeutic Guidelines Ltd, Melbourne, VIC
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31
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Page AT, Falster MO, Litchfield M, Pearson SA, Etherton-Beer C. Polypharmacy among older Australians, 2006-2017: a population-based study. Med J Aust 2019; 211:71-75. [PMID: 31219179 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.50244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy among Australians aged 70 years or more, 2006-2017. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Analysis of a random 10% sample of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data for people aged 70 or more who were dispensed PBS-listed medicines between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2017. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of continuous polypharmacy (five or more unique medicines dispensed during both 1 April - 30 June and 1 October - 31 December in a calendar year) among older Australians, and the estimated number of people affected in 2017; changes in prevalence of continuous polypharmacy among older concessional beneficiaries, 2006-2017. RESULTS In 2017, 36.1% of older Australians were affected by continuous polypharmacy, or an estimated 935 240 people. Rates of polypharmacy were higher among women than men (36.6% v 35.4%) and were highest among those aged 80-84 years (43.9%) or 85-89 years (46.0%). The prevalence of polypharmacy among PBS concessional beneficiaries aged 70 or more increased by 9% during 2006-2017 (from 33.2% to 36.2%), but the number of people affected increased by 52% (from 543 950 to 828 950). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of polypharmacy among older Australians is relatively high, affecting almost one million older people, and the number is increasing as the population ages. Our estimates are probably low, as we could not take over-the-counter or complementary medicines or private prescriptions into account. Polypharmacy can be appropriate, but there is substantial evidence for its potential harm and the importance of rationalising unnecessary medicines, particularly in older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy T Page
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC.,Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC.,Centre for Optimisation of Medicines, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA
| | | | | | - Sallie-Anne Pearson
- Centre for Big Data Research in Health, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW.,Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
| | - Christopher Etherton-Beer
- WA Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA.,Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA
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Criddle D. The Case For. JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/jppr.1580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre Criddle
- Pharmacy Department Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Nedlands WA
- Complex Needs Coordination Team South Metropolitan Health Service Murdoch WA
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Schultz M, Rasmussen LJH, Carlson N, Hasselbalch RB, Jensen BN, Usinger L, Eugen-Olsen J, Torp-Pedersen C, Rasmussen LS, Iversen KK. Risk assessment models for potential use in the emergency department have lower predictive ability in older patients compared to the middle-aged for short-term mortality - a retrospective cohort study. BMC Geriatr 2019; 19:134. [PMID: 31096925 PMCID: PMC6521424 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-019-1154-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Older patients is a complex group at increased risk of adverse outcomes compared to younger patients, which should be considered in the risk assessment performed in emergency departments. We evaluated whether the predictive ability of different risk assessment models for acutely admitted patients is affected by age. Methods Cohort study of middle-aged and older patients. We investigated the accuracy in discriminating between survivors and non-survivors within 7 days of different risk assessment models; a traditional triage algorithm, a triage algorithm with clinical assessment, vital signs, routine biomarkers, and the prognostic biomarker soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR). Results The cohort included 22,653 (53.2%) middle-aged patients (age 40–69 years), and 19,889 (46.8%) older patients (aged 70+ years). Death within 7 days occurred in 139 patients (0.6%) in middle-aged patients and 596 (3.0%) of the older patients. The models based on vital signs and routine biomarkers had the highest area under the curve (AUC), and both were significantly better at discriminating 7-day mortality in middle-aged patients compared to older patients; AUC (95% CI): 0.88 (0.84–0.91), 0.75 (0.72–0.78), P < 0.01, and 0.86 (0.82–0.90), 0.76 (0.73–0.78), P < 0.001. In a subgroup of the total cohort (6.400 patients, 15.0%), the suPAR level was available. suPAR had the highest AUC of all individual predictors with no significant difference between the age groups, but further research in this biomarker is required before it can be used. Conclusion The predictive value was lower in older patients compared to middle-aged patients for all investigated models. Vital signs or routine biomarkers constituted the best models for predicting 7-day mortality and were better than the traditional triage model. Hence, the current risk assessment for short-term mortality can be strengthened, but modifications for age should be considered when constructing new risk assessment models in the emergency department. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12877-019-1154-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schultz
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark. .,Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark.
| | | | | | - Rasmus Bo Hasselbalch
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Birgitte Nybo Jensen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lotte Usinger
- Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Jesper Eugen-Olsen
- Clinical Research Centre, Amager and Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Christian Torp-Pedersen
- Department of Health, Science and Technology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark.,Department of Cardiology and Epidemiology/Biostatistics, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lars Simon Rasmussen
- Department of Anaesthesia, Centre of Head and Orthopaedics, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kasper Karmark Iversen
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev Ringvej 75, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark
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Pont LG, Raban MZ, Jorgensen ML, Georgiou A, Westbrook JI. Leveraging new information technology to monitor medicine use in 71 residential aged care facilities: variation in polypharmacy and antipsychotic use. Int J Qual Health Care 2019; 30:810-816. [PMID: 29889231 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzy098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The aim of this study was to use routinely collected electronic medicines administration (eMAR) data in residential aged care (RAC) to investigate the quality use of medicines. Design A cross-sectional analysis of eMAR data. Setting 71 RAC facilities in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Participants Permanent residents living in a participating facility on 1 October 2015. Intervention None. Main Outcome Measures Variation in polypharmacy (≥5 medications), hyper-polypharmacy (≥10 medications) and antipsychotic use across facilities was examined using funnel plot analysis. Results The study dataset included 4775 long-term residents. The mean resident age was 85.3 years and 70.6% of residents were female. The median facility size was 60 residents and 74.3% were in metropolitan locations. 84.3% of residents had polypharmacy, 41.2% hyper-polypharmacy and 21.0% were using an antipsychotic. The extent of polypharmacy (69.75-100% of residents), hyper-polypharmacy (38.81-76.19%) and use of antipsychotic medicines (0-75.6%) varied considerably across the 71 facilities. Conclusions Using eMAR data we found substantial variation in polypharmacy, hyper-polypharmacy and antipsychotic medicine use across 71 RAC facilities. Further investigation into the policies and practices of facilities performing above or below expected levels is warranted to understand variation and drive quality improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa G Pont
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW Australia.,Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Magda Z Raban
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW Australia
| | - Mikaela L Jorgensen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW Australia
| | - Andrew Georgiou
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW Australia
| | - Johanna I Westbrook
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW Australia
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Comparison of Potentially Inappropriate Medications for People with Dementia at Admission and Discharge during An Unplanned Admission to Hospital: Results from the SMS Dementia Study. Healthcare (Basel) 2019; 7:healthcare7010008. [PMID: 30634548 PMCID: PMC6473531 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare7010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
People with dementia (PWD) and cognitive impairment are particularly vulnerable to medication problems, and unplanned admission to hospital presents an opportunity to address polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and anticholinergic burden. This study aimed to compare PIMS and other medication data for PWD to determine whether these changed during hospitalization. Medications documented in patient’s records at admission and discharge were evaluated for PWD recruited to phase one of a prospective quasi-experimental pre/post-controlled trial that was conducted at two regional hospitals in NSW, Australia. The study sample included PWD or cognitive impairment having an unplanned admission to hospital. Data were collected using a purpose developed audit tool for medications and PIMs, and a Modified Anticholinergic Burden Scale. Total participants were 277, and results determined that the cognitive status of PWD is not always detected during an unplanned admission. This may make them more vulnerable to medication problems and poor outcomes. Polypharmacy and PIMS for PWD were high at admission and significantly reduced at discharge. However, PWD should be routinely identified as high risk at admission; and there is potential to further reduce polypharmacy and PIMs during admission to hospital, particularly psychotropic medications at discharge. Future studies should focus on evaluating targeted interventions designed to increase medication safety for PWD.
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Ersoy S, Engin VS. Risk factors for polypharmacy in older adults in a primary care setting: a cross-sectional study. Clin Interv Aging 2018; 13:2003-2011. [PMID: 30410317 PMCID: PMC6197244 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s176329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Polypharmacy (PP) is a clinical challenge in older adults. Therefore, assessment of daily drug consumption (DDC) and its relationships is important. First-line health services have a crucial role in monitoring and preventing PP. In this study, we aimed to assess DDC and investigate the risk factors for higher DDC among older adults in a primary care setting. Patients and methods A total of 1,000 patients aged ≥65 years who visited Melek Hatun Family Practice Center between December 1, 2014, and August 1, 2017, were enrolled in the study. All patients were seen either at the center or in their homes, and informed consent was obtained. Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed for each subject. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 17). The daily number of medicines that each patient used (DDC) regardless of whether they were prescribed was the dependent variable. Relationships between DDC and other continuous variables were examined using Pearson's correlation. For between-group comparisons of DDC, Student's t-tests were performed. Results Univariate tests showed relationships between DDC and various demographic and clinical parameters. The variables that remained significant at the last step of a stepwise linear regression analysis were metabolic syndrome, chronic pain, incontinence, increased serum creatinine level, increased Geriatric Depression Scale scores, reported gastric disturbances, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Conclusion Along with certain chronic conditions, depressive symptoms and an inflammatory marker (neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) were significantly and independently related to higher DDC. Longitudinal and larger studies are needed to further explore the multifaceted relationships of PP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suleyman Ersoy
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Karabuk University, Karabuk, Turkey,
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Nguyen AD, Lam A, Banakh I, Lam S, Crofts T. Improved Medication Management With Introduction of a Perioperative and Prescribing Pharmacist Service. J Pharm Pract 2018; 33:299-305. [PMID: 30296875 DOI: 10.1177/0897190018804961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The medication lists in pre-admission clinic (PAC) questionnaires completed by patients prior to surgery are often inaccurate, potentially leading to medication errors during hospitalization. Studies have shown pharmacists are more accurate when obtaining a medication history and transcribing prescription orders, thereby reducing errors. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a PeRiopErative and Prescribing (PREP) pharmacist on postoperative medication management. METHODS A randomized prospective interventional study enrolled elective surgery patients at high risk for medication misadventure to receive PREP pharmacy service or usual care (control group). A best possible medication history (BPMH) was obtained by the PREP pharmacist and was available to surgical staff on admission. The PREP pharmacist also prepared discharge prescriptions for their patients. The primary outcomes for the study were accuracy of BPMH and discharge prescriptions compared to usual care. The study was powered to 80% with 2-tailed significance α of .05. RESULTS The medication history in the PREP pharmacist group had fewer errors than the control group: 9% (5/53) versus 96% (49/51; P < .001). Discharge prescriptions prepared by the PREP pharmacist had fewer errors than control group: 25% versus 78% (P < .001). Significantly, more PREP pharmacist patients received a discharge summary with a complete medication list: 75% versus 33% (P = .001). Inpatient prescribing was more accurate in the PREP pharmacist patients: 0.64 versus 1.31 errors per patient (P = .047). CONCLUSION Inclusion of the PREP pharmacist role in the elective surgery multidisciplinary team improved the accuracy of medication histories, inpatient prescribing, and discharge prescriptions for patients at high risk of medication misadventure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny D Nguyen
- Pharmacy Department, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alice Lam
- Pharmacy Department, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Iouri Banakh
- Pharmacy Department, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Skip Lam
- Pharmacy Department, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tyron Crofts
- Department of Anaesthesia, Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, Frankston, Victoria, Australia
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Gnjidic D, Husband A, Todd A. Challenges and innovations of delivering medicines to older adults. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 135:97-105. [PMID: 30118723 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Older adults with multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and complex health needs are the major consumer of health care. Ensuring that medicines are used safely, effectively, and delivered efficiently in this population is challenging. In this context, the approach to medicines delivery should seek to overcome some of the difficulties of delivering medicines to older people, and ensure each medication is delivered by the optimal and most convenient route for the patient in question. However, this poses significant obstacles, as the development of medicines suitable for use in older populations does not often account for complex health needs, potential challenges in relation to drug disposition, safety of excipients and limitations with practical usability of dosage forms. The objective of this review is to summarise and discuss current challenges and novel approaches to delivering medications to older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danijela Gnjidic
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Andy Husband
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK
| | - Adam Todd
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK
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Buss VH, Shield A, Kosari S, Naunton M. The impact of clinical services provided by community pharmacies on the Australian healthcare system: a review of the literature. J Pharm Policy Pract 2018. [DOI: 10.1186/s40545-018-0149-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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Criddle DT, Angley M, Gailer J, Pauw C, Perry T, Thiele H, Woodward J. Enough raisins in the sun and dreams deferred: transitional care needs hospital pharmacy leadership now! JOURNAL OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/jppr.1448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre T. Criddle
- CoNeCT – Complex Needs Coordination Team South Metropolitan Health Service Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Nedlands Australia
- Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Pharmacy Department Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Nedlands Australia
| | - Manya Angley
- Sansom Institute for Health Research University of South Australia Adelaide Australia
| | - Joy Gailer
- Drug and Therapeutics Information Service Southern Adelaide Local Health Network and Chandlers Hill Surgery Adelaide Australia
| | - Carly Pauw
- Post Acute Community Care Hospital in the Home (HITH) Service Western Sydney Local Health District Wentworthville Australia
| | - Tim Perry
- Blacktown Medical Practitioners’ Association Blacktown Australia
- Hills Doctors Association Pennant Hills Australia
- The Medicines Review Company Pty Ltd Drummoyne Australia
| | - Horst Thiele
- Acute/Post‐Acute Care (HITH) Northern Sydney Local Health District St Leonards Australia
| | - John Woodward
- Pharmacist Sunshine Coast Peregian Springs Australia
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Kosari S, McDerby N, Thomas J, Naunton M. Quality use of medicines in aged care facilities: A need for new models of care. J Clin Pharm Ther 2018; 43:591-593. [PMID: 29781222 DOI: 10.1111/jcpt.12714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE Despite all the advancement in aged care, medication adverse events are still reported to occur frequently in aged care residents and to be a major contributor to hospitalization and reduced quality of life in older adults. Thus, there is an urgent need for interventions and developing new models of care to address medication safety. COMMENT Interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as accessibility to health professionals, is amongst the factors affecting medication safety in aged care. Increasing access to pharmacists and forming an interdisciplinary team with doctors and nursing staff may improve medication safety in aged care facilities. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION To address the medication safety, we suggest a novel model of care in residential aged care facilities, in which an on-site pharmacist integrates with nursing staff to form an interdisciplinary team to prevent medication-related harm and improves the quality use of medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kosari
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - N McDerby
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - J Thomas
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - M Naunton
- Discipline of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
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Unutmaz GD, Soysal P, Tuven B, Isik AT. Costs of medication in older patients: before and after comprehensive geriatric assessment. Clin Interv Aging 2018; 13:607-613. [PMID: 29674846 PMCID: PMC5898882 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s159966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Polypharmacy and inappropriate drug use cause numerous complications, such as cognitive impairment, frailty, falls, and functional dependence. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) on polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs), and to evaluate the economic reflections of medication changes. Methods One thousand five hundred and seventy-nine older patients, who had undergone CGA, were retrospectively evaluated. The drugs, drug groups, and number of drugs that the patients used were recorded. Appropriate drug therapy was identified by both CGA and STOPP/START criteria. Based on these criteria, PIMs were discontinued and PPOs were started. The monthly cost of these drugs was calculated separately for PIMs and PPOs by using the drugstore records. Results After CGA, while the prevalence of non-polypharmacy was increased from 43.3% to 65.6%, the prevalence of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy was decreased from 56.7% to 34.4% and 12.0% to 3.6%, respectively. The three most common PIMs discontinued were proton pump inhibitors, anti-dementia drugs, and antipsychotics, respectively. However, the most common PPOs started were vitamin D and B12 supplements, and anti-depressants. After CGA, monthly saved total per capita cost of PIMs was US$12.8 and monthly increased total per capita cost of PPOs was $5.6. Conclusion It was demonstrated that prevalence of polypharmacy, PIM, and PPO could be decreased by CGA including START/STOPP criteria in older adults. Furthermore, this will have beneficial effects on economical parameters due to decreasing drug-related health care costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulcin Done Unutmaz
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Pinar Soysal
- Geriatric Center Kayseri Education and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Busra Tuven
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Turan Isik
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
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Whitty R, Porter S, Battu K, Bhatt P, Koo E, Kalocsai C, Wu P, Delicaet K, Bogoch II, Wu R, Downar J. A pilot study of a Medication Rationalization (MERA) intervention. CMAJ Open 2018; 6:E87-E94. [PMID: 29467186 PMCID: PMC5878954 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20170134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many seriously ill and frail inpatients receive potentially inappropriate or harmful medications and do not receive medications for symptoms of advanced illness. We developed and piloted an interprofessional Medication Rationalization (MERA) approach to deprescribing inappropriate medications and prescribing appropriate comfort medications. METHODS We conducted a single-centre pilot study of inpatients at risk of 6-month mortality from advanced age or morbidity. The MERA team reviewed the patients' medications and made recommendations on the basis of guidelines. We measured end points for feasibility, acceptability, efficiency and effectiveness. RESULTS We enrolled 61 of 115 (53%) eligible patients with a mean age of 79.6 years (standard deviation [SD] 11.7 yr). Patients were taking an average of 11.5 (SD 5.2) medications before admission and had an average of 2.1 symptoms with greater than 6/10 severity on the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System. The MERA team recommended 263 medication changes, of which 223 (85%) were accepted by both the medical team and the patient. MERA team's recommendations resulted in the discontinuation of 162 medications (mean 3.1 per patient), dose changes for 48 medications (mean 0.9 per patient) and the addition of 13 medications (mean 0.2 per patient). Patients who received the MERA intervention stopped significantly more inappropriate medications than similar non-MERA comparison patients for whom data were collected retrospectively (3.1 v. 0.9 medications per patient, p < 0.01). The MERA approach was highly acceptable to patients and medical team members. INTERPRETATION The MERA intervention is feasible, acceptable, efficient and possibly effective for changing medication use among seriously ill and frail elderly inpatients. Scalability and effectiveness may be improved through automation and integration with medication reconciliation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Whitty
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Sandra Porter
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Kiran Battu
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Pranjal Bhatt
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Ellen Koo
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Csilla Kalocsai
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Peter Wu
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Kendra Delicaet
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Isaac I Bogoch
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - Robert Wu
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
| | - James Downar
- Affiliations: Departments of Pharmacy (Whitty, Porter, Battu, Bhatt) and Medicine (Koo, R. Wu, P.E. Wu, Bogach, Downar) and Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (Delicaet), University Health Network; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (Kalocsai), Toronto, Ont
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Redston MR, Hilmer SN, McLachlan AJ, Clough AJ, Gnjidic D. Prevalence of Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Inpatients with and without Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 61:1639-1652. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-170842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell R. Redston
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Departments of Aged Care and Clinical Pharmacology, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah N. Hilmer
- Departments of Aged Care and Clinical Pharmacology, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew J. McLachlan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alexander J. Clough
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Departments of Aged Care and Clinical Pharmacology, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Danijela Gnjidic
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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45
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Choosing a medication brand: Excipients, food intolerance and prescribing in older people. Maturitas 2018; 107:103-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Turner LR, Pearce C, Brijnath B, Browning C, Lowthian J, Shearer M, Mazza D. General practice utilisation of Medicare Benefits Schedule items to support the care of older patients: findings from the REDIRECT study. Aust J Prim Health 2018; 24:54-58. [DOI: 10.1071/py17047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items designed to support the wellbeing of older people may reduce unnecessary emergency department utilisation, however it is unclear to what extent such items are used. This study examined general practitioner (GP) utilisation of these MBS items through an analysis of the Melbourne East Monash General Practice Database (MAGNET), which contains information collected from GP clinics within the inner east Melbourne region. Sociodemographic and MBS claim data were extracted for patients aged ≥75 years attending a GP between 2005 and 2012. Utilisation of 75+ Health Assessments, General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMP), Team Care Arrangements (TCAs) or reviews, or Medication Management Reviews (MMRs) was assessed. There were 12962 (60.6%) patients assigned at least one of the MBS items. The highest level of claiming was for GPMPs (n=4754; 35.8%) and TCAs (n=4476; 33.7%), with MMRs having the lowest use (n=1023; 6.8%). Examination of GP and patient barriers to the uptake of these items is needed, along with a greater understanding as to whether those most at risk of hospitalisation are receiving these services. Strategies that support capacity to implement these items are also required.
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Hubbard RE, Peel NM, Samanta M, Gray LC, Mitnitski A, Rockwood K. Frailty status at admission to hospital predicts multiple adverse outcomes. Age Ageing 2017; 46:801-806. [PMID: 28531254 DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afx081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims frailty is proposed as a summative measure of health status and marker of individual vulnerability. We aimed to investigate the discriminative capacity of a frailty index (FI) derived from interRAI Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for Acute Care (AC) in relation to multiple adverse inpatient outcomes. Methods in this prospective cohort study, an FI was derived for 1,418 patients ≥70 years across 11 hospitals in Australia. The interRAI-AC was administered at admission and discharge by trained nurses, who also screened patients daily for geriatric syndromes. Results in adjusted logistic regression models an increase of 0.1 in FI was significantly associated with increased likelihood of length of stay >28 days (odds ratio [OR]: 1.29 [1.10-1.52]), new discharge to residential aged care (OR: 1.31 [1.10-1.57]), in-hospital falls (OR: 1.29 [1.10-1.50]), delirium (OR: 2.34 [2.08-2.63]), pressure ulcer incidence (OR: 1.51 [1.23-1.87]) and inpatient mortality (OR: 2.01 [1.66-2.42]). For each of these adverse outcomes, the cut-point at which optimal sensitivity and specificity occurred was for an FI > 0.40. Specificity was higher than sensitivity with positive predictive values of 7-52% and negative predictive values of 88-98%. FI-AC was not significantly associated with readmissions to hospital. Conclusions the interRAI-AC can be used to derive a single score that predicts multiple adverse outcomes in older inpatients. A score of ≤0.40 can well discriminate patients who are unlikely to die or experience a geriatric syndrome. Whether the FI-AC can result in management decisions that improve outcomes requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth E Hubbard
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nancye M Peel
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mayukh Samanta
- Clinical Trials and Biostatistics Unit, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leonard C Gray
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Arnold Mitnitski
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kenneth Rockwood
- Department of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Development and Validation of the Revised Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) Questionnaire: Versions for Older Adults and Caregivers. Drugs Aging 2017; 33:913-928. [PMID: 27785734 DOI: 10.1007/s40266-016-0410-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knowledge of consumer (patient and caregiver) attitudes is essential for conducting medication optimization in practice. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to develop and validate a questionnaire to capture older adults' and caregivers' beliefs and attitudes towards deprescribing. METHODS The previously validated Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (PATD) questionnaire was expanded based on literature review, expert opinion and focus groups, and a caregivers' version was developed. The revised questionnaire was piloted and then distributed for self-completion to older adults (≥65 years of age), taking at least one regular medication and caregivers of older adults. Psychometric validity and reliability were examined. Responses to questions that were identified to group into a specific factor were combined to produce a score. RESULTS A total of 383 consumer questionnaires and 200 caregiver questionnaires were completed and included in analysis. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four factors in both versions of the questionnaire (with four to five questions retained in each factor). The factors relate to the perceived burden of medication taking, belief in appropriateness of medication use (harms and benefits), concerns about stopping the medication, and level of involvement/knowledge of medications. Internal consistency of all factors was acceptable with Cronbach's alpha >0.6. In both the older adults' and caregivers' versions, the burden score was inversely associated with the appropriateness score (p < 0.001 both versions). Factor scores between administration times (test-retest reliability) were statistically significantly correlated (p = 0.000), with gamma values ranging between 0.57 and 0.89. CONCLUSION The revised PATD questionnaire had acceptable validity and reliability. This newly validated questionnaire may provide insight into individuals' willingness for/barriers to deprescribing, with applications in practice and research.
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Komiya H, Umegaki H, Asai A, Kanda S, Maeda K, Shimojima T, Nomura H, Kuzuya M. Factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly home-care patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 18:33-41. [DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Komiya
- Department of Community Healthcare and Geriatrics; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Umegaki
- Department of Community Healthcare and Geriatrics; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | | | - Shigeru Kanda
- Minami Health-Medical Cooperative Kaname Hospital; Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | - Keiko Maeda
- Department of Home Medical Care, Mokuren Clinic; Nagoya Aichi Japan
| | | | | | - Masafumi Kuzuya
- Department of Community Healthcare and Geriatrics; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Aichi Japan
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Ilango S, Pillans P, Peel NM, Scott I, Gray LC, Hubbard RE. Prescribing in the oldest old inpatients: a retrospective analysis of patients referred for specialist geriatric consultation. Intern Med J 2017. [PMID: 28632340 DOI: 10.1111/imj.13526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While medications may prolong life and prevent morbidity in older people, adverse effects of polypharmacy are increasingly recognised. As patients age and become frail, prescribing may be expected to focus more on symptom control and minimise potentially harmful preventive medication use that confer little benefit within a short lifespan. Whether prescribing practice shifts to one of symptom controls among the oldest old admitted to hospital remains unclear. AIM To determine, in the oldest old inpatients, whether preventive versus symptom control medication prescribing was associated with age or level of frailty. METHODS Retrospective analysis of all patients aged ≥85 years referred for comprehensive geriatric assessment at a tertiary care hospital between May 2006 and December 2014 for whom all prescribed medications were documented. Medication use was assessed according to age group (85-89, 90-94, ≥95) and categories of frailty index calculated for patients based on 52 deficits (fitter, moderately frail, frail and severely frail). RESULTS Seven hundred and eighty-three inpatients were assessed of mean (SD) age 89.0 (3.4) and mean frailty index 0.45 (SD 0.14) with a median of eight co-morbidities (IQR 6-10) and who were prescribed a mean of 8.3 (SD 3.8) regular medications per day. Polypharmacy (5-9 medications per day) was observed in 406 patients (51.9%) and hyper-polypharmacy (≥10 medications per day) in 268 patients (34.2%). While there was a significant decrease in number of prescribed medications as age increased, there were no differences across age groups or frailty categories in proportions of medications used for prevention versus symptom control. CONCLUSION Polypharmacy is prevalent in oldest old inpatients and prescribing patterns according to prevention versus symptom control appear unaffected by age and frailty status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivarajah Ilango
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter Pillans
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nancye M Peel
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ian Scott
- Department of Internal Medicine, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leonard C Gray
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ruth E Hubbard
- Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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