[Potentially inappropriate prescribing: Usefulness of STOPP/START criteria version 2 in Catalonian elderly...

To measure the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) among the elderly population in Catalonia using criteria Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions/Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (STOPP/START) version 2. In addition, to evaluate the association between PIP and several factors (polypharmacy, gender, age and sociodemographic conditions).

Design: Retrospective cross sectional population study.

Primary Health Care, Catalonia, Spain.

The study population comprised of participants 70 years old and over, who attended primary health care centres in Catalonia in 2014 (700.058 patients).

55 STOPP and 19 START criteria are applied to analyse PIP prevalence. Logistic regression models are adjusted to determine PIP association with several factors.

The mean age is 79. 2±6.5. 58.5% being female. 38.7% of patients have 7 or more prescribed drugs, whereas 50% go to a primary care centre 10 or more times during one year. The most frequent PIP among STOPP criteria are related to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake, antiplatelet and anticoagulants use, and benzodiazepines. According to START, the most frequent omissions are vitamin D and calcium supplements, antidepressants, and cardiovascular medications. Factors that increase PIP are: female gender, living in a nursing home, receiving home health care, polypharmacy and frequent visits to primary care centres.

The overall prevalence of PIP is 89.6%. PPI is significantly related to certain drugs and patient's conditions. The knowledge of this association is important for the implementation of security measures for medical prescription.