ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) can lead to adverse drug reactions and should be avoided whenever possible. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the PIP resumption rate 6 months after discharge from our geriatric unit and to compare it with data in the literature. METHODS: This single-center observational study included patients aged ≥ 70 years with at least one PIP that had been stopped during hospitalization (according to Screening Tool for Older Persons Prescriptions [STOPP] and Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment [START] criteria, version 2) between May 2018 and October 2018. We collected sociodemographic data, medication reconciliation data, and descriptive data during a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Each patient's medication history after discharge was determined in collaboration with their usual community pharmacist. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients (females 70%, mean age 87.1 years) were included. Data for the admission and discharge medication reconciliations were available for 44 patients (35%). On admission, 121 of the 125 patients (97%) were taking cardiovascular medication. Of the 336 treatments withdrawn, 61 (18.2%) had been re-prescribed at 6 months post-discharge-including half within the first month. The most frequent STOPP criterion was lack of indication (32%), and the overall PIP resumption rate was 22%. According to the anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC) classification, the main organ system affected by PIPs was the cardiovascular system (47%, with a resumption rate of 17%). CONCLUSION: Our results highlighted a low PIP resumption rate at 6 months and showed that a collaborative medication review is associated with persistent medium-term medication changes.
Subject(s)
Inappropriate Prescribing , Patient Discharge , Aftercare , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Hospitals , Humans , Inappropriate Prescribing/prevention & control , Medication ReconciliationABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Demographic changes require an adaptation of the geriatric care offer, which is readily oriented towards the community and including the development of out-of-hospital mobile geriatric team (MGT). Although psychiatric disorders of older persons require a comprehensive, integrative and multidisciplinary approach, geriatrics and old age psychiatry mobile units often work in parallel without concertation for the management of complex pathologies. The aim of this paper is to present the organisation and the results of a out-of-hospital MGT with a geriatrician and old age psychiatrists (OAP) in a same unit. METHOD: Data were collected during the first-year (2018) of the out-of-hospital MGT of Tours University hospital. After initial geriatric assessment and when old age psychiatry (OAP) intervention was needed, referral mode and justification, patient's characteristics and recommendations made by the team were collected. RESULTS: During the study period, 151 patients were assessed, 53% (n=80) had out-of-medical follow-up or difficulties to access to healthcare; 40% (n=60) had behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), 30% (n=45) falls, 15% (n=23) social problems, 10% (n=15) alteration of overall health status and 5% (n=7) drug conciliation; 40% (n=60) benefited from an OAP evaluation; 100% (n=60) had out of medical follow-up, 83% (n=50) had severe BPSD, 17% (n=10) psychological symptom with psychiatric condition, 10% (n=6) misused psychotropic medications in charge of general comorbidities decompensation; 32% (n=19) had geriatric, OAP consultations and 33% (n=20) were in denial of care; 23% (n=14) with severe BPSD had a second OAP consultation. DISCUSSION: Relationship between geriatrician and OAP in the same MGT enables to deliver comprehensive care, including organic, psychiatric and cognitive comorbidities and collaborative assessment of iatrogenicity. A strengthened relationship with general practitioners is a possible option for these frail older patients, out-of-medical follow-up allowing their reintegration in the geriatric healthcare system.
