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Drug Utilization and Inappropriate Prescribing in Centenarians
Nisha C Hazra1, Alex Dregan1,2, Stephen Jackson3
1Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|May 1, 2016
Summary
Most centenarians receive prescriptions, with up to one-third potentially inappropriate. Electronic health records (EHRs) can improve prescribing for the oldest adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Centenarians represent a rapidly growing population segment.
- Understanding medication use in extreme longevity is crucial for health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate prescription patterns and identify potentially inappropriate prescribing in individuals aged 100.
- To leverage primary care electronic health records (EHRs) for this analysis.
Main Methods:
- Population-based cohort study utilizing UK primary care EHRs from 1990-2013.
- Analysis included 11,084 individuals reaching age 100.
- Potentially inappropriate prescribing was assessed using the 2012 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria.
Main Results:
- 73% of centenarians received at least one prescription; 79% of women and 54% of men.
- Cardiovascular, Central Nervous System (CNS), and gastrointestinal drugs were most common.
- 32% of participants receiving prescriptions had potentially inappropriate ones, notably CNS and anticholinergic medications.
Conclusions:
- A majority of centenarians are prescribed medications, with a significant proportion potentially receiving inappropriate therapies.
- EHR data analysis aids in understanding prescribing trends for the oldest adults.
- Improving pharmacological care for centenarians is a key area for future research.
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