[The most common STOPP/START criteria in Spain. A review of the literature]

To analyse STOPP/START criteria found most frequently in the studies carried out in Spain, in order to identify the main areas of potentially inappropriate prescribing.

A literature review was carried out on the original studies performed in Spain that applied the original version of the STOPP/START criteria and that described the most common STOPP and/or START criteria found. In each study, a weighted analysis was performed on the criteria found, by assigning 5 points to the criterion in first position, 4 points to the criterion in second position, and so on to fifth criterion. The total points of each analysed criterion were then obtained.

A total of 19 original studies analysing STOPP criteria were selected, 14 of them also studying all START criteria. From the total of studies, 11 were developed in out-of-hospital care, and 8 in hospital care. The STOPP criterion with the highest weighted assessment was B7 (long-term, long-acting benzodiazepines), followed by J (any duplicate drug class prescription). The START criterion with the highest weighted assessment was F4 (statin therapy in diabetes mellitus if coexisting major cardiovascular risk factors present), followed by E3 (calcium and vitamin D supplement in patients with known osteoporosis: previous fragility fracture, acquired dorsal kyphosis).

The most common areas of potentially inappropriate prescribing are well defined, and suggest a particular intervention in some specific therapeutic points.