The association between frailty and medicines use over time: an analysis using the Australian Longitudinal Study on Ageing population.

Background: Frailty and medicine‐related problems are common among the elderly and have been associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes. However, there has been limited research on the association between frailty and medicines use. Aim: To determine the distribution of frailty among older people who used medicines and to examine the difference in frailty scores over time with continuation or discontinuation of specific medicines. Methods: The study population was from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ALSA). The data used in the analysis were collected in 1992 (wave 1) and in 1995 (wave 3). Frailty scores were assessed at both waves using a modified version of the Frailty Index. Non‐parametric tests were used to examine the difference in the distribution of frailty scores in relation to medicines used at baseline. Medicine use was categorised into continued or stopped by comparing use at wave 3 to use at baseline. A t‐test was used to compare the mean changes in frailty scores between the two groups, with a p‐value of <0.05 considered to be significant. Results: Data from 2087 participants were included. At baseline, a higher number of medicines used was associated with higher frailty scores (p < 0.0001). Stopping any preventive medicines, as well as beta‐blockers, or potassium‐sparing diuretics, was associated with a higher increase in mean frailty score changes than continuing these medicines, p = 0.01, p = 0.03 and p = 0.004, respectively. Conclusions: There was an association between frailty and medicines use. Further study is needed to assess whether the progression of frailty was due to medicine cessation or vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]