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Background: Polypharmacy and the resulting problems lead to considerable consequences for those affected. There are also considerable problems with the medication management., Objective: Which interventions and programs for optimizing the supply of medication are available for nursing homes and which implementation problems can be expected?, Material and Method: A literature search was carried out for interventional studies in nursing homes in Germany, with a focus on improving medication safety., Results: A total of six programs were identified for which evaluation results are available. Despite a mostly multimodal approach with several pillars of intervention (e.g., medication reviews, further education and training, development of aids), the results are largely disappointing. The effects on the number of prescriptions in general, specific medication groups or outcome parameters such as hospital admissions could only be shown in one study, whereby, selection bias could also be at least partly responsible for this. Interdisciplinary collaboration and the implementation of medication recommendations formulated in reviews by the responsible physicians are the main problem areas. At the same time, too little attention is paid to the central role of nurses in the entire process and they are not actively promoted enough. This could be one of the reasons for the difficulties in implementation in practice., Conclusion: There are nearly no significant changes as a result of the interventions implemented in the studies reviewed. In particular, interprofessional cooperation, especially the skills of nurses and the reluctance on the part of physicians, should probably be given more attention., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Medication use in older adults is increasing, therefore, reducing the risk of suboptimal medicine use is imperative in achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. Research suggests that factors such as personal beliefs and beliefs about medicines may be associated with non-adherence and inappropriate medicine use., Aim: To systematically review and identify quantitative research on the influence of beliefs about medicines and the relationship with suboptimal medicine use in older adults., Method: Searches were conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for quantitative studies (inception to March 2023)., Inclusion Criteria: (1) exposure: participants' beliefs (personal, cultural, and medication-related), (2) outcomes: polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medicines use, or non-adherence, and (3) participants: community-dwelling adults 65 years or above. Study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal (Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist) were completed independently by two investigators. Data were combined in a narrative synthesis and presented in a summary of findings table., Results: Nineteen articles were included: 15 cross-sectional and four cohort studies. Outcomes of included papers were as follows; adherence (n = 18) and potentially inappropriate medicine use (n = 1). Ten studies found stronger beliefs in the necessity of medicines and/or fewer concerns led to better adherence, with one paper contradicting these findings. Three studies did not find associations between adherence and beliefs. One study confirmed an association between unnecessary drug use and a lack of belief in a "powerful other" (e.g. doctor)., Conclusion: Further investigation is necessary to (1) ascertain the importance of necessity or concern beliefs in fostering adherence and, (2) examine the influence of beliefs on polypharmacy and inappropriate medicine use., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and their caregivers can be defined as people with higher risk of developing medication-related problems due to aging and polypharmacy., Aim: To assess the medication exposure of patient with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and their caregivers., Method: Ancillary cross-sectional study based on baseline medication data of the PHARMAID RCT. The PHARMAID study was a multi-center RCT assessing an integrated pharmaceutical care at a psychosocial program. Older outpatients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and their older caregivers were eligible for inclusion. Baseline medication data were used to assess the medication exposure, illustrated by the number of medications, the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) using the EU(7)-PIM list and the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI)., Results: Seventy-three dyads were included in this ancillary study. The mean numbers (SD) of medications used by patients was 6.8 (2.6) and by caregivers was 4.7 (3.7). Overall, 60.3% of patients used at least one PIM and 47.9% of caregivers. Regarding the medication regimen complexity, the mean MRCI was 16.3(8.1) for patients and 11.3(10.5) for caregivers., Conclusion: The results of this study confirm the relevance of carrying out medication review with patients, but also with their caregivers who can be considered as hidden patients., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Nursing home residents (NHR) show high rates of polypharmacy. The HIOPP-3-iTBX study is the first cRCT on medication optimization in nursing homes (NH) in Germany. The intervention did not result in a reduction of PIM and/or antipsychotics. This analysis looks at structure quality in the HIOPP-3-iTBX study participants., Aims: Evaluation of structure quality as part of a cluster-randomized controlled intervention study., Methods: Structure quality in multiprofessional teams from n = 44 NH (n = 44 NH directors, n = 91 family doctors (FD), and n = 52 pharmacies with n = 62 pharmacists) was assessed using self-designed questionnaires at baseline. Main aspects of the questionnaires related to the qualification of participants, quality management, the medication process and size of the facilities. All completed questionnaires were included. number of PIM/antipsychotics was drawn from the baseline medication analysis in 692 NHR. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and mixed model logistic regression., Results: The presence of a nurse with one of the additional qualifications pain nurse or Zertifiziertes Curriculum (Zercur) Geriatrie in the participating NH was associated with a lower risk for the prescription of PIM/antipsychotics. No association between any characteristic in the other participants at baseline was observed., Conclusions and Discussion: The results support the known role of nursing qualification in the quality and safety of care. Further studies need to look more closely at how use is made of the additional qualifications within the multiprofessional teams. Perspectively, the results can contribute to the development of quality standards in NH in Germany., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Much of the knowledge on the use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) in older adults is derived from cross-sectional studies, with little known about the risk factors over time., Aim: Longitudinal analysis was applied to estimate the occurrence and risk factors of PIM use among older adults in a 10-year follow-up., Method: Longitudinal study with 418 older adult residents of a capital city of Central-West Brazil. The PIM were classified according to the Beers criteria 2019. The usage rate was calculated at baseline (2008) and at the 10-year follow-up moment (2018). Analysis of predictors (sociodemographic, self-rated health, hospitalization, number of comorbidities, polypharmacy, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and nutritional status) was performed using Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models., Results: Mean age at baseline was 70.6 years (SD 7.1) and 76% were women; 221 older adults took part in the follow up. The rate of PIM use was 50.4% at baseline and 57.5% at the 10-year follow-up. Multiple analysis showed that PIM use in the cohort was statistically higher in the older adults with a history of hospitalization (RR adj 1.20; 95% CI 1.01-1.40), with three or more diseases (RR adj 1.41; 95% CI 1.14-1.74), with polypharmacy (RR adj 1.81; 95% CI 1.47-2.24) and with diabetes mellitus (RR adj 1.24; 95% CI 1.05-1.47)., Conclusion: A high level of potentially inappropriate medication use was observed, reaching 50% of the older adults, with a 7% increase in the prevalence over the 10-year follow-up period. Hospitalization, multimorbidities, polypharmacy and diabetes mellitus were associated with the use of these medications. Interventions for surveillance of the deprescribing process need to be encouraged to avoid potential harm caused by the use of medications., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: The potentially inappropriate use of the proton pump inhibitors is prevalent in older adults., Aim: To evaluate the impact of a clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy in older hospitalized patients., Method: This parallel nonrandomized controlled study was conducted at an internal medicine service of a tertiary training and research hospital between September 2019 and August 2021. Older patients (≥ 65 years old and received proton pump inhibitors within 48 h of admission) were allocated to two groups according to their number of medical file records, whether odd or even, two groups: control and clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy (including medication reconciliation and medication review) during the hospital stay. Primary outcome measures were the rate of appropriate use of proton pump inhibitors during hospitalization and potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use at discharge., Results: The rate of appropriate proton pump inhibitor use during hospitalization was significantly higher in the clinical pharmacist-led program (n = 100) than in the control group (n = 97) (46.4% vs. 79.0%; P < 0.001). The rate of potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use at discharge was significantly lower (61.7% vs. 35.1%; P < 0.05) in the clinical pharmacist-led program among the older patients discharged with a proton pump inhibitor prescription., Conclusion: A clinical pharmacist-led stewardship program for the appropriate use of acid suppression therapy improved the rate of appropriate proton pump inhibitor use and reduced the potentially inappropriate proton pump inhibitor use during the hospital stay., Trial Registration: NCT05113667 (17 October 2021-registered retrospectively)., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Purpose: By discussing the corresponding situation of PIM criteria and labels, it provides a reference for the formulation and update of the criteria and the content of the section of "medications for the elderly" in the labels, so as to realize rational drug use for the elderly., Methods: Extract the four indicators of Beers criteria, STOPP criteria, and the EU(7)-PIM list that involve dosage, duration, age, and mortality, and compare them with the latest labels for drugs marketed in the USA and the EU., Results: There are 148 drugs involving four indicators in the criteria, and 85.14% of the drugs are found in at least one region. In terms of dose, there are 28 drugs with inconsistent descriptions in the labels of the two regions, accounting for 47.46% of the 59 drugs found in both regions. A total of 42.37% of the drugs are consistent in both regions with the criteria (25/59), 28.81% of the drugs are inconsistent in both regions with the criteria (17/59), and 28.81% of the drugs are inconsistent in only one region with the criteria (17/59). The doses of 50 drugs found in F/D labels are consistent with the criteria, accounting for 54.35% of the 92 drugs found in F/D labels, and of 41 drugs found in E/H SmPC are consistent with the criteria, accounting for 60.29% of the 68 drugs found in E/H SmPC. Only the duration of omeprazole in the labels in both regions is consistent with the criteria, and only the age of prasugrel in both regions is consistent with the criteria. Five drugs whose labels mentioned increased mortality, accounting for 38.46% of the 13 drugs found in both regions., Conclusion: There are certain differences between PIM criteria and PIM criteria, labels and labels, and PIM criteria and labels, which will affect the use of drugs in the elderly. Therefore, the unity between the criteria and labels should be strengthened to provide more instructive guidance for the elderly, so as to jointly realize rational drug use in the elderly., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore patterns and long-term development in prescribing potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) according to the EU(7)-PIM list to elderly patients in Germany., Methods: We analysed anonymized German claims data. The study population comprised 6.0 million insured individuals at least 65 years old, including all their prescriptions reimbursed in 2019. For the analysis of long-term development, we used data for the years 2009-2019. Factors associated with PIM prescribing were considered from two perspectives: patient-oriented analysis was performed with logistic regression and prescriber-oriented analysis was performed with multiple linear regression., Results: EU(7)-PIM prevalence was reduced from 56.9% in 2009 to 45.1% in 2019. Average annual volume (DDDs/insured) decreased from 145 in 2009 to 121 in 2019. These figures are substantially greater than those for the older PRISCUS list. The majority of investigated ATC level 2 groups with the highest EU(7)-PIM DDD volume exhibited substantial decreases; moderate increases were found for antihypertensive and urological drugs. Antithrombotics increased strongly with the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants. The most prevalent EU(7)-PIM medication was diclofenac; however, in the age group 85+ years, apixaban was twice as prevalent as diclofenac. Polypharmacy, female sex, age < 90 years, need for nursing care and living in Eastern regions were identified as risk factors. Prescriber specialty was the most marked factor in the prescriber-oriented analysis., Conclusion: Although the use of EU(7)-PIMs has been declining, regional differences indicate considerable room for improvement. The comparison with PRISCUS highlights the necessity of regular updates of PIM lists., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Anticholinergic medications may increase risk of dementia and stroke, but prospective studies in healthy older people are lacking., Objective: Compare risk of incident dementia and stroke by anticholinergic burden among initially healthy older people., Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting: Primary care (Australia and USA)., Participants: 19,114 community-dwelling participants recruited for the ASPREE trial, aged 70+ years (65+ if US minorities) without major cardiovascular disease, dementia diagnosis, or Modified Mini-Mental State Examination score below 78/100., Measurements: Baseline anticholinergic exposure was calculated using the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) score. Dementia was adjudicated using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders volume IV criteria, and stroke using the World Health Organization definition., Results: At baseline, 15,000 participants (79%) had an ACB score of zero, 2930 (15%) a score of 1-2, and 1184 (6%) a score of ≥ 3 (indicating higher burden). After a median follow-up of 4.7 years and adjusting for baseline covariates, a baseline ACB score of ≥ 3 was associated with increased risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.06, 2.35), or dementia (adjusted HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.01, 1.82), especially of mixed etiology (adjusted HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.06, 2.21). Results were similar for those exposed to moderate/highly anticholinergic medications., Limitations: Residual confounding and reverse causality are possible. Assessment of dose or duration was not possible., Conclusions: High anticholinergic burden in initially healthy older people was associated with increased risk of incident dementia and ischemic stroke. A vascular effect may underlie this association. These findings highlight the importance of minimizing anticholinergic exposure in healthy older people.

Purpose: To compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in the elderly according to the PRISCUS list, STOPP criteria, and Beers criteria. Secondary, to describe the differences using the three criteria focused on the inappropriate prescription of psychotropic drugs in the elderly., Methods: A retrospective study was performed at Severo Ochoa University Hospital. The study included 365 patients, aged 80 years and older, living in Madrid, Spain., Results: 93.42% of patients received at least one PIM during hospitalization. Using the PRISCUS list, this changed from 32.6 to 2.7% at discharge. Applying STOPP criteria lowered the percentage from 65.20 to 10.95%, and with Beers criteria from 80.27 to 10.13. Lower Barthel index at admission was associated with an increased relative risk for receiving at least one PIM (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.15-2.80, p = 0.024) using PRISCUS list as a tool in conjunction with STOPP criteria (OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.89-2.33, p = 0.037). Polypharmacy at admission predicted the presence of PIMs with STOPP criteria (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.07-2.84, p = 0.001). Regarding psychotropic medicines, 208 patients (56.98%) received at least one psychotropic medicine during hospitalization. A total of 26.30% of patients were treated with psychotropic medicines, detected by the PRISCUS list, and 53.97% and 29.85% with STOPP and Beers, respectively., Conclusions: Explicit criteria are a useful tool for identifying during hospitalization of the elderly patients. As indicated by the results, new research is needed to carry out an adaptation in our country that includes an evaluation of the strengths of the three tools to decrease PIMs and improve prescription in the elderly.

Purpose: The elderly are not only threatened by bad medicines (overtreatment) but also by undertreatment with "good" medicines. Symmetry is required in any patient-centred approach to properly treat older people. The purpose of this study was to perfect the development of an EML and criteria according to the advantages of each and promote the appropriate use of essential medicines in the elderly., Method: We compared the EML with four PIM criteria and calculated the proportion of essential medicines included in the criteria. We also summarized the rationale for including medicines in each criterion and analysed higher risk drugs and drug risks., Results: Of essential medicines, 26% are included in at least one criterion as PIM. In 11 drug categories of the EML, more than 50% of drugs of each category are included in at least one criterion, and in four categories, all drugs are included. The potentially inappropriate essential medicines (PIEMs) for the elderly focus on cardiovascular drugs and central nervous system drugs. Fifty-nine drugs have been explicitly identified as increasing the risk of falls, increasing mortality and/or having inappropriate long-term use, and the main risk of PIEMs is falls (30.3% of PIEMs). Additionally, 17.9% of essential medicines are labelled as positive drugs in START and/or FORTA (A/B)., Conclusion: Improving medication information for the elderly in the EML and establishing an essential medicines list for the elderly will promote appropriate drug use in older people worldwide.

Purpose: Many psychotropic drugs are listed as potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in the older population. Potentially inappropriate means that prescription of those drugs in older adults may cause significant harm. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and sort of PIM prescribing in a naturalistic, real-world psychiatric setting., Methods: The retrospective analysis gathered data from a large pharmacovigilance study, conducted at 10 psychiatric hospitals. Data from inpatients aged ≥ 65 years were included for the analysis. The number and sort of PIM, as defined by the German PRISCUS list, were controlled by analyzing the patients' medication profile., Results: In total, 4760 patient cases (59.2% female) with a mean (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) age of 77.33 ± 7.77 years were included into the study. Altogether, 1615 cases (33.9%) received at least 1 PRISCUS-PIM per day (regular and as-needed medication included). The most frequently prescribed PRISCUS-PIM (n = 2144) were zopiclone > 3.75 mg/day (n = 310), lorazepam > 2 mg/day (n = 269), haloperidol > 2 mg/day (n = 252), and diazepam (n = 182). Cases with PRISCUS-PIM were younger (75.7 vs. 78.2 years, p < 0.001) and had a longer (26 vs. 22 days, p < 0.001) hospital length of stay. Replacing benzodiazepines and z-substances, haloperidol > 2 mg, tricyclic antidepressants, first generation antihistaminergic drugs, and clonidine by non-PIM could reduce 69.9% of PRISCUS-PIM-prescribing., Conclusions: The prevalence of PRISCUS-PIM is high in the hospitalized psychiatric setting. Rational deprescribing of inappropriate anticholinergics, benzodiazepines, and antipsychotics in the older population is a key component to reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions. More tolerable medications should be prescribed.

Background Beers criteria have been into the mainstay to characterize the potentially inappropriate medication since its first publication, but the recent version, Beers 2019, is yet to be validated by clinical studies nationally. Objective To identify the prevalence and the predictors of potentially inappropriate medications in hospitalized geriatric patients based on the Beers 2019 and 2015 criteria. Setting Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, a 3000-bed tertiary care teaching hospital in China. Method We conducted a cross-sectional study from July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. Data from all hospitalized patients aged ≥ 65 years were collected from the hospital database. Inappropriate prescriptions were identified using the Beers 2019 criteria and the Beers 2015 criteria. Main outcome measure Prevalence Ratio (PR) and predictors of potentially inappropriate medications. Results The prevalence of inappropriate prescriptions based on the Beers 2019 criteria was 64.80%. This result was slightly higher than that of the Beers 2015 criteria (64.31%). The most commonly encountered inappropriate prescriptions identified using the two criteria were proton-pump inhibitors. The kappa coefficient was 0.826 (p < 0.001) indicating a strong coherence between the two criteria. The most important factor associated with inappropriate medications use was the number of prescribed drugs (PR 5.17, 95% CI 2.89-8.43; PR 4.58, 95% CI 1.93-7.25). Conclusion This study showed a high prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication in the Chinese geriatric population, which was associated with the number of prescribed drugs. The predictors identified in this research might help pharmacists to detect high-risk drugs and intervene in time.

Background: Little is known to what extent general practitioners (GP) change hospital discharge medications in older patients., Objective: This prospective cohort study aimed to analyze medication changes at the interface between hospital and community in terms of quality, quantity and type of drugs., Methods: A total of 121 out of 248 consecutively enrolled patients admitted to an acute geriatric hospital unit participated in the study. Medication regimens were recorded at admission and discharge and 4 weeks after hospital discharge the general practitioners in charge were contacted to provide the current medication charts. Changes in the extent of polypharmacy, in the type of drugs using anatomical therapeutic chemical classification (ATC) codes and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) were analyzed., Results: Medication charts could be obtained for 98 participants in primary care. Only 21% of these patients remained on the original discharge medication. Overall, the average number of medications rose from hospital admission (6.58 SD ± 3.45) to discharge (6.96 SD ± 3.49) and again post-discharge in general practice (7.22 SD ± 3.68). The rates of patients on excessive polypharmacy (≥10 drugs) and on PIM were only temporarily reduced during hospital stay. The GPs stopped anti-infective drugs (ATC-J) and prescribed more antirheumatic drugs (ATC-M). Although no significant net changes occurred in other ATC groups, a substantial number of drugs were interchanged regarding the subgroups., Conclusion: The study found that GPs extensively adjusted geriatric discharge medications. Whereas some changes may be necessary due to alterations in patients' state of health, a thorough communication between hospital doctors and GPs may level off different prescribing cultures and contribute to consistency in medication across sectors.

Background: Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) carries the risk of increased drug side effects for older people. The prevalence data are known but no descriptive analyses of prescription behavior as a starting point for reducing PIM have yet been conducted., Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze PIM prescription in the outpatient sector and to identify risk groups where increased awareness of the issue is needed., Material and Methods: The basis for the investigation was the data set of the AOK Bavaria health insurance, which contains anonymized prescription data of a practice network for patients aged 65 years and older from 2010 to 2014. The Priscus list was used to identify the PIM., Results: There were 410,934 prescriptions during the investigation period. The prevalence of PIM was 5.60%. Family doctors prescribed 5.39% PIM and specialists for neurology, psychiatry and psychotherapy (NPP) prescribed 16.36% PIM. Regardless of the medical discipline, PIM from the drug groups psycholeptics, psychoanaleptics and antihypertensive drugs were most frequently prescribed. For men and women PIM accounted for 4.50% and 6.31%, respectively, of the prescriptions during the period. In terms of age groups older women received PIM most frequently., Conclusion: In the case of specialists for NPP a high prevalence of prescriptions for PIM could be established; however, in absolute terms family doctors prescribed significantly more PIM overall. This mainly affected women and especially those between 80 and 84 years old. In the future family doctors should be made more aware with respect to the prescription of psychopharmaceuticals and antihypertensive drugs to older women.

Background In recent years, rapid increase of elderly population has become a major social problem in developed countries. They tend to receive an increasing number of prescibed drugs due to multiple illnesses, which might include inappropriate medications, in turn leading to health hazards and rising healthcare cost. Objective To evaluate the current status of potentially inappropriate medications prescribed for elderly outpatients and filled by dispensing pharmacies using the recent Japanese Guidelines, and to determine factors that are related to prescribing potentially inappropriate medications. Setting A cross-sectional study of older patients (≥ 75 years) who visited dispensing pharmacies in the Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Method We identified patients prescribed potentially inappropriate medications using the "List of Medications that Require Particularly Careful Administration" in the Guidelines (Guideline List). We explored patient's factors related to polypharmacy (≥ 5 medications) and prescription of inappropriate medications through multivariate analysis, and a cutoff value for predicting potentially inappropriate medications through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Main outcome measure Prevalence of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications, and patient's factors associated with them. Results Of 8080 patients (39,252 medications) who visited pharmacies during the study period, 43.1% (3481) were prescribed ≥ 5 medications. In total, 2157 patients (26.7%) were prescribed at least one potentially inappropriate medication. The most prescribed inappropriate medication class was (benzodiazepine) sedatives and hypnotics. Potentially inappropriate medications were 7.11 times (95% CI 6.29-8.03) and 1.51 times (1.34-1.71) more likely to be prescribed for patients with ≥ 5 medications and those prescribed by multiple physicians, respectively. A cutoff value for potentially inappropriate medications was found to be five for the total number of medications and four for the number of chronic medications with a systemic effect. Conclusion Prescription of potentially inappropriate medications was increased among patients with ≥ 5 medications and those chronically prescribed ≥ 4 medications with a systemic effect. The Guideline List should be actively used to screen such patients, and to carefully examine prescriptions. Particular care should be exercised when patients are visiting multiple physicians.

Background: Oldest old patients aged 85 years and over are at risk of experiencing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) across transitions of care. Geriatricians also face enormous challenges in prescribing medications for these patients., Methods: A mixed-methods, sequential explanatory design was undertaken of electronic medical records and semi-structured interviews with geriatricians at a public teaching hospital. Data were collected at four time points using the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool to Alert doctors to the Right Treatment (START)., Results: Of 249 patients, the prevalence of at least 1 PIM varied between 36.9 and 51.0%, while the prevalence of at least 1 PPO varied between 36.9 and 44.6%. The most common PIM was use of proton pump inhibitors while the most common PPO was omission of vitamin D supplements in housebound patients or patients experiencing falls. Poisson regression analysis showed that PIMs were significantly associated with use of mobility aids, 1.430 (95% CI 1.109-1.843, p = 0.006), and number of medications prescribed at admission, 1.083 (95% CI 1.058-1.108, p < 0.001). PPOs were significantly associated with comorbidities, 1.172 (95% CI 1.073-1.280, p < 0.001), medications prescribed at admission, 0.989 (95% CI 0.978-0.999, p = 0.035), and length of stay, 1.004 (95% CI 1.002-1.006, p < 0.001). Geriatrician interviews (N = 9) revealed medication-related, health professional-related and patient-related challenges with managing medications., Conclusions: Inappropriate prescribing is common in oldest old patients. Greater attention is needed on actively de-prescribing medications that are not beneficial and commencing medications that would be advantageous. Tailored strategies for improving prescribing practices are needed.

Background Polypharmacy has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality among older adults especially those living in nursing homes. Explicit criteria to evaluate the appropriateness of medications have recently been updated. Objective To estimate and compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among older adults in nursing homes using screening tool for older people's prescription (STOPP-2) and the 2015 Beers criteria. Setting Nursing care homes in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Method A cross-sectional survey of medications used among residents living in nursing homes was performed. The 2015 Beers criteria and STOPP-2 criteria were used to evaluate the use of PIMs among this population. These PIMs were subsequently classified using the Pharmaceutical Network Europe classification (PCNE). Main outcome measure Number of PIMs among residents using both criteria. Results A total of 155 residents were recruited into the study. The prevalence of PIMs was 9.7% using the STOPP-2 criteria, 17.6% using the 2015 Beers criteria and 21.3% when both tools were used in combination. The PCNE criteria identified a total of 198 drug related issues, with an average of 1.27 issue per resident. Factors associated with higher risk of having PIM include multiple medication use and history of psychiatric disorder. Conclusion The 2015 Beers criteria was able to identify more PIM's compared to STOPP-2 criteria. The findings also support the expansion of pharmacists' services in nursing homes in Malaysia.

Background Clinical pharmacist interventions have been shown to improve drug use in older adults. Study findings are seldom externally validated however. Objective First, to validate a minimized iteration of a previously tested intervention of clinical pharmacists in a non-academic setting with limited staffing resources. Second, to compare the potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) reduction to two previous controlled interventional studies. Methods A controlled study was performed at geriatric wards. The control group received usual care. The intervention group was exposed to a clinical pharmacist led medication review, based on the use of the RASP list, (the Rationalization of Home Medication by an Adjusted STOPP list in Older Patients). Drug use on admission and at discharge were evaluated, including the number of RASP-identified potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). The PIM reduction was compared to two previous controlled study findings using a linear mixed model. Results Drug use declined during hospital stay, without differences between control (n = 29) and intervention group (n = 32). Antidepressants and hypnotic drugs were discontinued more frequently in IG patients. More PIMs were reduced in the intervention patients (control vs. intervention: 1.0 vs. 3.0, p < 0.001). Across three controlled studies, a robust reduction of 1.56 PIMs (95% confidence interval 1.10-2.02, p < 0.001) was observed in favor of the CP interventions. Conclusion The minimal CP intervention resulted in fewer RASP PIMs. No net reduction of drug use was observed, yet fewer antidepressants and hypnotic drugs were used. The RASP PIM reduction was comparable to previous investigations.

Background Several tools to evaluate the appropriateness of prescriptions have been developed over the years. Objective To compare the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) among elderly, using the European Union (EU) (7)-PIM list and the Swedish quality indicators. Secondary objectives were to investigate factors associated with the use of PIMs using the two tools. Setting Medical ward in a hospital in Northern Sweden. Methods Medical records for patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted to the medical ward were reviewed by clinical pharmacists from September to November 2015 and from February to April 2016. PIMs were identified through the abovementioned identification tools. Main outcome measure Prevalence of PIMs. Results Of 93 patients, 18.3% had one PIM according to the Swedish quality indicators. The most common PIM class was non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and diclofenac was one of the most commonly prescribed PIMs. According to the EU (7)-PIM list, 45.2% of the study population was prescribed one or more PIMs. The most common PIM class was hypnotic and sedative drugs, and the most frequently prescribed PIM was apixaban. No significant associations between PIMs and different factors were found using either identification tool. Conclusion The prevalence of PIMs was relatively low in the study sample according to the Swedish guidelines but high according to the EU (7)-PIM list. Different evaluation tools might give inconclusive results, but it is still important to continuously evaluate the need for PIMs in older patients in order to improve drug treatment and to decrease the risk of adverse drug reactions.

Background: Beers Criteria are one of the best known explicit criteria to identify inappropriate medication in elderly that can be used in medication review. The access to patients' medical records may be different among healthcare professionals and settings and, subsequently, the identification of patients' diagnoses may be compromised., Objective: To assess the consequences of ignoring patient diagnoses when applying 2015 Beers Criteria to identify potentially inappropriate medication (PIM)., Setting: Three nursing homes in Central Portugal., Method: Medical records of nursing home residents over 65 years old were appraised to identify medication profile and medical conditions. 2015 Beers Criteria were used with and without considering patients' diagnoses. To compare the number of PIM and PIM-qualifying criteria complied in these two judgements, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were performed., Main Outcome Measure: Number of PIMs and number of PIM-qualifying criteria., Results: A total of 185 patients with a mean age of 86.7 years (SD = 7.8) with a majority of female (70.3%) were studied. When assessing the patients with full access to the diagnoses, median number of PIMs was 4 (IQR 0-10) and number of PIM-qualifying criteria was 5 (IQR 0-15). When evaluating only patient current medication, median number of PIMs was 4 (IQR 0-10) and PIM-qualifying criteria was 4 (IQR 0-12). Statistical difference was found in the number of PIM-qualifying criteria identified (p < 0.001), but not in the number of PIMs per patient (p = 0.090). In 171 patients (92.4%) PIMs identified were identical when using or ignoring their medical diagnoses. However, in 80 patients (43.2%) the PIM-qualifying criteria complied were different with and without access to patient diagnoses., Conclusion: Although restricted access to patients' diagnoses may limit the judgement of Beers PIM-qualifying criteria, this limitation had no effect on the number of PIM identified.

Background Deprescribing describes a process of medication regimen optimization with the aim to reduce adverse events and improve quality of life. There is limited research on perceptions of older adults, defined as those 60 years of age and older, about their willingness to cease a medication in developing countries. Objective To ascertain patients' attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and experiences regarding the number of medications they were taking and their opinions regarding deprescribing. Setting A primary care health clinic and three community pharmacies in Malaysia. Method A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted by administering the revised Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing (rPATD) questionnaire to older adults aged 60 years and over or caregivers attending a health clinic and three community pharmacies in Malaysia. Descriptive results were reported for participants' characteristics and questionnaire responses. Analysis of correlation between participant characteristics and their responses was performed using Spearman's correlation. Main outcome measure Patients' and caregivers' attitudes and beliefs towards reducing medications and characteristics of patients such as age, gender, education level, number of medication taken and number of medical center managing the patient. Results 650 participants were approached and the response rate was 85.2%. A total of 554 participants completed the questionnaire (502 older adults and 52 caregivers). Older adults in the study were taking a median of three medications and/or supplements compared to four in caregiver recipients. 88.1% of older adults were satisfied with their current medication regimen and 67.7% would like to try stopping or reducing the dose of their medicines when their doctor recommended. 82.7% of caregivers were satisfied with their care recipient's current medications and 65.4% were willing to stop taking or reduce the number of drugs taken by their care recipient's upon doctor's recommendation. Older adults (p = 0.003) and those with lower education level (p < 0.001) were more willing to have their medications deprescribed. Other demographic characteristics such as gender, number of medication taken or number of doctors managing patient were not found to be correlated with willingness to stop a medication. Conclusion Older adults taking multiple medications for various medical conditions were largely accepting of a trial of cessation of medication.

Purpose: To assess the changes in use of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) as defined by the 2015 Beers criteria, the EU(7)-PIM, and the PRISCUS list over a 6-year period and to identify determinants for current and future PIM use with a particular focus on geriatric syndromes., Methods: In a German cohort of 2878 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years, determinants of the use of ≥ 1 PIM were identified in multivariable logistic regression (cross-sectional analysis) and weighted generalized estimating equation models (longitudinal analysis)., Results: Prevalences for Beers, EU(7), and PRISCUS PIM were 26.4, 37.4, and 13.7% at baseline and decreased to 23.1, 36.5, and 12.3%, respectively, 6 years later. Unadjusted prevalences in participants with any geriatric syndrome (frailty, co-morbidity, functional, or cognitive impairment) were approximately twice as high as in robust older adults. In multivariable analyses, cognitive impairment was statistically significantly associated with the use of PIM of all three criteria in the cross-sectional (odds ratio (OR) point estimates 1.90-2.21) but not in the longitudinal models. In contrast, frailty, co-morbidity, and functional impairment were statistically significantly associated with the use of PIM of at least one of the three criteria in both models. However, the associations varied for the PIM criteria, and in the longitudinal analysis, associations were only statistically significant for Beers PIM (ORs [95% confidence intervals]: frailty (2.23 [1.15, 4.31]), co-morbidity by five total co-morbidity score points (1.21 [1.05, 1.38]), and functional impairment (1.51 [1.00, 2.27]). Other statistically significant determinants of the incidence of PIM (any definition) were female sex, age, coronary heart disease, heart failure, biomarkers of the metabolic syndrome, and history of ulcer, depressive episodes, hip fracture, or any cancer., Conclusions: Older adults with frailty, co-morbidity, cognitive, and functional impairment had higher odds of taking PIM or getting a PIM prescription in the future (exception: cognitive impairment). Physicians should be especially cautious when prescribing drugs for these patients who are particularly susceptible to adverse reactions.

Background Estimating the prevalence of polypharmacy is essential for the evaluation of public health. Many different methodologies are used to determine the number of drugs used by a patient. Objective To analyse and compare three different methods (simultaneous, cumulative and continuous medication) to determine the number of drugs used by a patient, to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy and to evaluate the possible association between polypharmacy and the gender and age of patients. Method Cross-sectional observational study carried out between April and September 2015. Data were acquired from prescriptions corresponding to 3972 patients aged 65 years old or older in ten community pharmacies in Argentina. Results The prevalence of polypharmacy varied significantly according to the method used. Major polypharmacy (use of five or more drugs) was detected in 20.5-47.1% of the patients. The association between gender, age and polypharmacy was statistically significant only when using the continuous medication method. The prevalence of minor polypharmacy (use of two to four drugs) was similar with the three methods. Conclusion These results contribute to deciding which is the best method to determine polypharmacy according to the objective of future studies and considering the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Pharmacotherapy for older and geriatric patients is a challenge, especially because older and geriatric patients are particularly prone to adverse drug reactions and the evidence for drug use is limited for this patient group; therefore, several list-based recommendations have recently been developed in order to improve appropriate pharmacotherapy. These lists of recommendations differ in their criteria and the compilation of drugs, for example in terms of potentially inappropriate medication, drugs increasing the risk of falling and anticholinergic effects. This review highlights the characteristics of selected recently published lists, describes the concepts behind them and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the individual approaches.

Background In order to ensure safer prescriptions in the elderly, lists of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and guidelines have been introduced. Whereas the effectiveness of these measures has been well studied in hospitals, data are sparse for the community-dwelling patients. Objective To assess the quality of prescriptions among community-dwelling elderly patients, and potential associations between prescription patterns, patient characteristics and medication adherence. Setting Community pharmacies in France. Method We conducted a prospective observational study between January and June 2013. Patients aged 75 and over coming to the community pharmacy with a prescription from a general practitioner were invited to participate to the study. The compliance of the prescription was assessed with regards to Beers Criteria and French Health Authority guidelines (FHA) for prescription in the elderly, the degree of adherence was assessed with the Girerd score. Main outcome measure Percentage of prescriptions compliant with Beers Criteria and FHA guidelines. Results Among the 1206 prescriptions analysed, 67.49% (n = 814) contained a PIM. Only 12.77% (n = 154) complied with mandatory requirements of the FHA. Prescriptions were ordered by therapeutic field in 51.24% (n = 618) of cases. Dosing regimen was incomplete in 57.21% (n = 690) of prescriptions. Only 29.19% (n = 352) of patients reported no difficulty with regard to adherence (Girerd score = 0). The use of International Non-proprietary Name was associated with an increased risk of nonadherence (adjusted OR = 1.59 [95% CI = 1.13-2.23] and 1.68 [95% CI = 1.12-2.49] respectively). Patient satisfaction with formulation was associated with a lower risk of non-adherence (adjusted OR = 0.63 [95% CI = 0.45-0.90]). Conclusion A substantial proportion of patients are exposed to PIMs and prescriptions that do not comply with the FHA Guidelines. This issue, as well as identified risk factors for non-adherence, should be taken into consideration by general practitioners and community pharmacists when prescribing/dispensing medications to the elderly.

Background Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are common in older patients with polypharmacy, and are related to negative clinical results. Little information is available on the characteristics and consequences of PIMs in patients with advanced chronic conditions and palliative care needs. Objective To evaluate, for this population: (i) the prevalence of PIMs; (ii) the possible risk factors associated with its onset; and (iii) the related clinical consequences. Setting Acute-hospital care Geriatric Unit (AGU) in County of Osona, Spain. Method Ten-month prospective cross-sectional study. Patients with palliative care needs were identified according to the NECPAL CCOMS-ICO ® test. Upon hospital admission, a multidisciplinary team consisting of a pharmacist and two AGU physicians determined the PIMs of the routine chronic medication of the patients. Sociodemographic and pharmacological data were collected with the objective of determining possible risk factors related to the existence of PIMs. Main outcome measure Prevalence and type of PIMs according to STOPP version 2 and MAI criteria at the time of hospital admission. Furthermore, days of hospital admission, destination at hospital discharge and survival analysis at 12 months related to PIMs were evaluated. Results Two hundred thirty-five patients (mean age 86.80, SD 5.37; 65.50% women) were recruited. According to the STOPP criteria, 88.50% of patients had ≥1 criterion (mainly 'indication of medication', followed by those that affect the nervous system and psychotropic drugs and risk drugs in people suffering from falls), and according to the MAI tool, 97.40% of the patients had some criterion related to inappropriate medication (mainly, duration of therapy). The following conditions were identified as risk factors for the existence of PIMs: insomnia, anxiety-depressive disorder, falls, pain, excessive polypharmacy and therapeutic complexity. There were no differences among patients in days of hospital stay, discharge's destination or survival at 12 months, regardless of the tool used. Conclusion The presence of PIMs is high in patients requiring palliative care. Some potentially modifiable risk factors such as the pharmacological ones are associated with a greater presence of inappropriate medication. The presence of PIMs does not affect this population in terms of mortality.

Background There is a relative paucity of information to characterise potential changes in medication regimen complexity and prevalence of prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications after hospitalisation, both in Australia and elsewhere. Objective To evaluate medication regimen complexity and the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications before and after admission to hospital. Setting General medical units of a tertiary care hospital in Australia. Methods Retrospective cohort study of patients aged 65 years and above. Medication complexity was measured by using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI). Main outcome measure The primary outcome was the change in the Medication Regimen Complexity Index for all prescribed medications after hospitalization. Results A convenience sample of 100 patients was included in the study. There was a significant change in the mean medication complexity score (as measured using the MRCI), increasing from 29 at the time of admission to 32 at the time of discharge (p < 0.05). Factors such as baseline medication regimen complexity (pre-admission MRCI) and length of stay in the hospitals appear to influence the change in medication complexity. However, the proportion of patients prescribed at least one potentially inappropriate medicine (PIM) decreased significantly, from 52% pre-hospitalization to 42% at discharge (p = 0.04). Conclusions Relative to the time of admission, overall medication complexity increased and the proportion of patients who were prescribed PIMs decreased after hospitalisation.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a predictor for mortality in a community-based population of older adults., Methods: A cohort study was performed between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2011, based on data from a representative sample of the population aged 60 years or older living in Bambuí, Brazil. Univariate and multivariate analyses of the association between the variable of interest (use of PIM or pharmacological groups of PIM) and mortality were based on the extended Cox model for proportional hazards. The extended model was adopted to include the measurement of the exposure of interest throughout the follow-up period and not only at baseline. Adjustment variables included sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and use of health care services and medications. A level of significance of 5% was adopted for all analyses., Results: The prevalence of PIM use was 56.0% (95%CI 53.4-58.6). After multiple adjustments, the risk of death among users of at least one PIM was 44% higher (HR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.21 to 1.71) than among those who did not use any PIM. Among the PIM groups analyzed, antipsychotics were the most strongly associated with mortality (HR = 2.33; 95%CI 1.72 to 3.17)., Conclusions: The study revealed a high prevalence of PIM use among the community-based aged population. It also identified PIM use as a predictor for mortality in this group of individuals. This indicates the need for selection of safer drug therapy alternatives in this patient group.

Background Geriatric falls are leading causes of hospital trauma admissions and injury-related deaths. Medication use is a crucial element among extrinsic risk factors for falls. To reduce fall risk and the prevalence of adverse drug reactions, potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) lists are widely used. Objective Our aim was to investigate the possible predictors of geriatric falls annualized over a 5-year-long period, as well as to evaluate the medication use of nursing home residents. Setting Nursing home residents were recruited from the same institution between 2010 and 2015 in Szeged, Hungary. Method A retrospective epidemiological study was performed. Patient data were analysed for the first 12 months of residency. Chi-squared test and Fisher's-test were applied to compare the categorical variables, Student's t test to compare the continuous variables between groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to determine the association of falls with other variables found significant in univariate analysis. Microsoft Excel, IBM SPSS Statistics (version 23) and R (3.2.2) programs were used for data analysis. Main outcome measure Falls affected by age, gender, number of chronic medications, polypharmacy, PIM meds. Results A total of 197 nursing home residents were included, 150 (76.2%) women and 47 (23.8%) men, 55 fallers (annual fall prevalence rate was 27.9%) and 142 non-fallers. Gender was not a predisposing factor for falls (prevalence in males: 23.4 vs 29.3% in females, p > 0.05). Fallers were older (mean years ± SD; 84.0 ± 7.0) than non-fallers (80.1 ± 9.3, p < 0.01). The age ≥80 years was a significant risk factor for falls (p < 0.001). The number of chronic medications was higher in male fallers (12.4 ± 4.0) than in non-fallers (6.9 ± 4.2, p < 0.001). Polypharmacy (taking four or more chronic medications) was a significant risk factor of falls (p < 0.01). Those PIMs carrying fall risk were taken by 70.9% of fallers and 75.3% of non-fallers (p > 0.05). Taking pantoprazole, vinpocetine or trimetazidine was a significant risk factor for falls. Conclusion Older age, polypharmacy and the independent use of pantoprazole, vinpocetine, and trimetazidine were found to be major risk factors for falls. Further real-life epidemiological studies are necessary to confirm the role of particular active agents, and to help professionals prescribe, evaluate and review geriatric medication use.