Análisis de la prescripción de medicamentos en una comunidad geriátrica Argentina / Analysis of medication prescription in an Argentinian geriatric hospital
Rev. méd. Chile
;
141(2): 194-201, feb. 2013. ilus, tab
Article
in Spanish
| LILACS
| ID: lil-675072
ABSTRACT
Background: Although polypharmacy may bejustified in elderly patients with multiple diseases, it may be dangerous, especially when it includes potentially inappropriate medications (PIM). Aim: To identify inappropriate medication and factors associated with the most relevant prescriptions among older people. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional observational analysis of drugs prescribed during the first trimester of 2010 to 179 older adults aged 77 ± 8 years (98 women), living in a geriatric reference hospital in Argentina. The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) in elderly patients was analyzed using Beers Criteria updated to 2012. Results: The mean number of drugs prescribed per individual was 6.1 ± 2.7. The most commonly used drugs were anti-ulcer agents (58.1%), agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system (54.2%), antithrombotic medications (50.8%) and benzodiazepines (50.8 %). The use of antacids and anti-ulcer agents, psychotropic drugs and PIM was significantly higher among patients using six or more drugs daily, compared to the less medicated group (odds ratio (OR) = 6.8, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 3.5-13.2; OR=15.0, 95%CI 5.9-38.4; OR=5.0; 95%IC 2.6-9.8, respectively). Thirty one percent of participants using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, were not receiving medications for gastric protection. One to four drugs included in the Beers list were prescribed to 66% of participants. Conclusions: Despite the high prevalence of use of antacids and anti-ulcer agents, these drugs were not prescribed to a significant proportion of patients using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Strategies to optimize pharmacotherapy in the elderly population are urgently required.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Drug Prescriptions
/
Practice Patterns, Physicians'
/
Inappropriate Prescribing
/
Health Services for the Aged
Type of study:
Etiology study
/
Incidence study
/
Observational study
/
Prevalence study
/
Prognostic study
/
Risk factors
Limits:
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Argentina
Language:
Spanish
Journal:
Rev. méd. Chile
Journal subject:
Medicine
Year:
2013
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Argentina
Institution/Affiliation country:
Universidad Nacional de Rosario/AR
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