Drug interactions for elderly with respiratory disorders and times of covid-19: a systematic scoping review / Interacciones farmacológicas para ancianos con enfermedades respiratorias y tiempos de covid-19: una revisión sistemática del alcance

Background: The elderly people have high morbimortality associated with respiratory disorders, in addition to the presence of other safety risk factors, such as the use of potentially inappropriate medication and the occurrence of drug interactions. Objective: Considering the current pandemic scenario, it was intended to identify explicit criteria-based tools that reported drug interactions between potentially inappropriate medication and respiratory system disorders and possibly worse prognosis of COVID-19 infection. Methods: A systematic scoping review was conducted until February 2020. Study characteristics of explicit criteria-based tools, and potentially inappropriate medication, drug interactions, and therapeutic management, were extracted. Results: Nineteen explicit criteria-based tools were included. Nineteen drug interactions and 17 potentially inappropriate medications with concerns for three respiratory disorders (asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, and respiratory failure) were identified. The most frequent pharmacological classes reported were benzodiazepines and beta-blockers. For clinical management, the tools recommend using cardioselective beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin II type I receptor blockers and benzodiazepines with a short or intermediate half-life. Conclusion: Considering the increased risk of COVID-19 infection in the elderly, drug interactions and the use of potentially inappropriate medication associated with the occurrence of adverse drug events in the respiratory system may also worsening COVID-19 infection in patients with uncontrolled respiratory disorders. Thus, it is essential to assess drug therapy in use, to identify safety risks and monitor the elderly in general and those with a worse prognosis concerning COVID-19, promoting patient safety.

Antecedentes: Los ancianos tienen alta morbimortalidad asociada a trastornos respiratorios, además de la presencia de otros factores de riesgo de seguridad, como el uso de medicación potencialmente inapropiada y la ocurrencia de interacciones medicamentosas. Objetivo: Teniendo en cuenta el escenario pandémico actual, se pretendía identificar herramientas explícitas basadas en criterios que informaran interacciones farmacológicas entre medicamentos potencialmente inapropiados y trastornos del sistema respiratorio y posiblemente un peor pronóstico de la infección por COVID-19. Métodos:Se realizó una revisión sistemática del alcance hasta febrero de 2020. Se extrajeron las características del estudio de las herramientas explícitas basadas en criterios y la medicación potencialmente inapropiada, las interacciones entre medicamentos y el manejo terapéutico. Resultados: Se incluyeron diecinueve herramientas explícitas basadas en criterios. Se identificaron diecinueve interacciones farmacológicas y 17 medicamentos potencialmente inapropiados con preocupaciones por tres trastornos respiratorios (asma, enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica e insuficiencia respiratoria). Las clases farmacológicas más frecuentes comunicadas fueron las benzodiacepinas y los betabloqueantes. Para el manejo clínico, las herramientas recomiendan el uso de betabloqueantes cardioselectivos, bloqueadores de los canales de calcio, inhibidores de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina y bloqueadores del receptor de angiotensina II tipo I y benzodiacepinas con una vida media corta o intermedia. Conclusión: Teniendo en cuenta el mayor riesgo de infección por COVID-19 en los ancianos, las interacciones farmacológicas y el uso de medicamentos potencialmente inapropiados asociados con la aparición de eventos farmacológicos adversos en el sistema respiratorio también pueden empeorar la infección por COVID-19 en pacientes con trastornos respiratorios no controlados. Por tanto, es fundamental evaluar la farmacoterapia en uso, identificar los riesgos de seguridad y monitorizar a los ancianos en general y a aquellos con peor pronóstico en relación con el COVID-19, promoviendo la seguridad del paciente.

Assessment tool for potentially inappropriate medication use in the elderly: a scoping review protocol

Potentially Inappropriate Medication for the elderly (PIM) are drugs in which the safety risks may exceed the benefits, especially when there are safer alternatives. The use of PIM is associated with increased hospitalizations and it is estimated that one every five prescriptions presents at least one PIM. In this context, there are several assessment tools for identification of PIM. The first assessment tool developed was Beers criteria and since its publication, new tools have been developed. The objective of this scoping review is to explore studies presenting assessment tools of PIM to map characteristics, justifications, and therapeutic equivalents. This review will consider studies that developed or validated an assessment tool of PIM. Electronic searches will be performed in PubMed and Scopus with no time limit. Two researchers, independently, will select registries and extract data of studies and tool characteristics, PIM and potentially inappropriate interaction, condition, justification, and therapeutic equivalents. The findings will be presented in narrative form including tables and figures to aid in data presentation, where appropriate.(AU)