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Inappropriate medication use in community-residing older persons
A E Stuck1, M H Beers, A Steiner
1Department of Geriatrics and Rehabilitation, Zieglerspital, Bern, Switzerland.
Inappropriate drug use affects 14% of older adults. This risk is higher for those on multiple medications or experiencing depressive symptoms, highlighting a common issue in geriatric pharmacotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric pharmacotherapy
- Medication safety in the elderly
- Public health and aging
Background:
- Elderly individuals are susceptible to adverse drug events.
- Inappropriate medication use poses significant health risks for older adults.
- Investigating prevalence and risk factors is crucial for community-residing seniors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of inappropriate drug use among community-dwelling older adults.
- To identify predisposing factors associated with inappropriate medication use in this population.
Main Methods:
- In-home interviews were conducted with 414 participants aged 75 years and older.
- A modified Delphi consensus process established explicit criteria for identifying inappropriate medications.
- Medications generally to be avoided in elderly outpatients were identified.
Main Results:
- 14.0% of subjects were using at least one inappropriate medication.
- Commonly identified inappropriate drugs included long-acting benzodiazepines, persantine, amitriptyline, and chlorpropamide.
- Polypharmacy (≥3 prescription drugs) increased the odds of inappropriate use (OR, 3.9). Depressive symptoms also elevated risk (OR, 2.2).
Conclusions:
- Inappropriate medication use is a prevalent issue among community-residing older individuals.
- Taking multiple medications and having depressive symptoms are significant risk factors for inappropriate drug use.
- Interventions targeting polypharmacy and depression management may reduce medication-related risks in the elderly.
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