Citation

Gasperini G, Molinier S, Marimoutou C, Denormandie P, Sanchez S. Geriatr. Psychol. Neuropsychiatr. Vieil. 2016; 14(4): 389-397.

Vernacular Title

Quel est l'impact d'une hospitalisation sur les traitements au long cours chez les patients de plus de 65 ans.

Affiliation

Institut du bien vieillir, Korian, Paris, France, Pôle information médicale-évaluation-performance, Centre hospitalier de Troyes, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, John Libbey Eurotext)

DOI

10.1684/pnv.2016.0616

PMID

27507164

Abstract

As our population aging increases, it requires a particular attention from the health system. Indeed, elderly are often frail, with several diseases and presenting high risk of adverse drug accident. Prescribing appropriately to the elderly has become an important matter. Hospitalization and consultation with the general practitioner are key moments for drug prescription. However, their real impact on background treatments of this population has been barely evaluated. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted with 300 patients over 65 years old, hospitalized at the Laveran military hospital in Marseille. Treatment modifications, consecutive to hospitalization and to the first consultation with the general practitioner, were identified and analyzed. We found an average prescription of 5.93 drugs in prehospital period and 66% of the patients with polypharmacy. Drugs for cardiovascular system were the most prescribed and the most modified. Hospitalization generated a rate of modification by prescription of 28.5% and the consultation with the general practitioner following this hospitalization led to further change in 48% of cases. Beside the important prevalence of patients with polypharmacy, this study shows that hospitalization entails a significant change in background treatments in that population at risk. Therefore, it is important to have a consensus in the re-evaluation of these treatments, in order to prevent the iatrogenic risk.

Language: en