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Citation
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Troncoso-Mariño A, López-Jiménez T, Roso-Llorach A, Villén N, Amado-Guirado E, Guisado-Clavero M, Fernández-Bertolin S, Vigues MP, Foguet-Boreu Q, Violán C. Pharmacoepidemiol. Drug Saf. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine medication-related problems (MRPs) in primary care patients over 65 years of age.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on the electronic health records of patients (65-99 years of age) visited in 284 primary health care centres during 2012 in Catalonia.
VARIABLES: age, sex, sociodemographic variables, number of drugs, kidney and liver function and MRPs (duplicate therapy, drug-drug interactions, potentially inappropriate medications [PIMs] and drugs contraindicated in chronic kidney disease and in liver diseases). Unconditional logistic regression models were used to identify the factors associated with MRPs in patients with multimorbidity.
RESULTS: 916 619 older people were included and 853 085 of them met the criteria for multimorbidity. Median age was 75 years and 57.7% of them were women. High percentages of MRPs were observed: PIMs (62.8%), contraindicated drugs in chronic kidney disease (12.1%), duplicate therapy (11.1%), contraindicated drugs in liver diseases (4.2%), and drug-drug interactions (1.0%). These numbers were higher in the subgroup of patients with ≥10 diseases. The most common PIMs were connected to drugs that increase the risk of fall (66.8%), antiulcer agents without criteria for gastroprotection (40.6%), and the combination of drugs with anticholinergic effects (39.7%). In the multivariate analysis, the variables associated with all MRPs among the patients with multimorbidity were the number of drugs and the number of visits.
CONCLUSIONS: The coexistence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy is associated with an elevated risk of MRPs in older people. Medication safety for older patients constitutes a pressing concern for health services.
Language: en |