Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026
05:10
Drug Repurposing Hypothesis Generation Using the "RE:fine Drugs" System
Published on: December 11, 2016
10.1K
Reducing Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions for Older Patients Using Computerized Decision Support Tools:
Luís Monteiro1,2, Tiago Maricoto3,4, Isabel Solha5
1Esgueira+ Family Health Unit, Aveiro Healthcare Centre, Aveiro, Portugal.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
|November 15, 2019
Summary
Computerized decision support tools show promise in reducing inappropriate prescriptions for older adults. Further research is needed to confirm their clinical usefulness and impact on patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Health Informatics
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Older adults are susceptible to polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications.
- Computerized decision support tools offer a strategy to mitigate these risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the effectiveness of computerized decision support tools in reducing potentially inappropriate prescriptions and medications in older adults.
- To assess the impact of these tools on health outcomes in the elderly population.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of interventional studies was conducted.
- Searches were performed in MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases.
- Studies published up to February 2018 focusing on individuals aged 65 and older were included.
Main Results:
- 16 studies involving 266,562 participants were included.
- Computerized decision support tools consistently reduced the initiation and mean number of inappropriate prescriptions per patient.
- These tools also improved discontinuation rates and drug appropriateness, though statistical significance varied.
Conclusions:
- Computerized decision support tools may effectively reduce inappropriate prescribing in older adults.
- More randomized controlled trials are necessary to evaluate their clinical utility, impact on adverse drug reactions, and patient/professional satisfaction.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients
189
Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
189
01:27Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age
158
Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
158
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion
207
In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
207
01:22Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption
192
As individuals age, their body's physiology evolves, affecting drug pharmacokinetics. The most apparent changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract, where an increase in gastric pH, a delay in gastric emptying, and a reduction in gastrointestinal motility are observed. Remarkably, these changes do not substantially modify the absorption of orally administered drugs, particularly those absorbed via passive diffusion.Transdermal drug delivery emerges as a highly viable method for older adults due...
192
01:18Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism
162
Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
162
01:00Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution
182
Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are...
182