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Inappropriate prescribing: criteria, detection and prevention
Marie N O'Connor1, Paul Gallagher, Denis O'Mahony
1Department of Geriatric Medicine, Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland. oconnormarienoelle@gmail.com
Drugs & Aging
|May 31, 2012
Summary
Potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults is common and linked to adverse health outcomes. This review examines tools and strategies to improve medication safety for the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Inappropriate prescribing is a significant concern in the growing elderly population worldwide.
- It is associated with adverse drug events, increased morbidity, and hospitalization.
- Addressing this global challenge requires effective strategies to improve medication safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and describe commonly cited tools and criteria for detecting potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults.
- To examine the role of these tools in preventing adverse healthcare outcomes.
- To discuss other interventions and their evidence for optimizing prescribing in the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of frequently cited inappropriate prescribing detection tools and criteria.
- Analysis of interventions such as geriatric assessment, pharmacist reviews, and clinical decision support systems.
- Evaluation of evidence supporting the use and clinical application of these measures.
Main Results:
- Explicit criteria are more common than implicit ones for detecting inappropriate prescribing.
- Most tools focus on overprescribing and misprescribing, with less attention to underprescribing.
- Comprehensive geriatric assessment, pharmacist reviews, and decision support systems show promise.
Conclusions:
- Effective detection tools and interventions are crucial for improving medication safety in older adults.
- A multi-faceted approach combining detection criteria and interventions is needed.
- Further research and implementation in clinical practice are essential to reduce inappropriate prescribing.
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