Potentially inappropriate medicines in a cohort of community‐dwelling older people in New Zealand. Issue 1 (26th March 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nishtala, Prasad S; Bagge, Michael L; Campbell, A John; Tordoff, June M
• Is Part Of: Geriatrics and gerontology international. Volume 14:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 89
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2013-03-26
• Subjects: Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Japan -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Japan -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1444-1586

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="ggi12059-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To examine independent factors associated with potentially inappropriate medicines (PIM) among 316 community‐dwelling people aged ≥75 years living in Dunedin.</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12059-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>People aged ≥75 years living in the community in Dunedin, New Zealand, taking ≥1 prescription medicines, randomly sampled from the electoral roll, were interviewed about their medicine‐taking practices. A medication inventory comprising prescription and non‐prescription medicines was taken from each participant at the time of the interview. Participants used a median of seven prescription medicines (range 1–19) and one non‐prescription medicine (0–14). PIM were identified using the updated 2012 Beers criteria.</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12059-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>PIM were identified in 42.7% (<italic>n</italic> = 135) older people. A total of 23 (7.2%) took two PIM, five (1.5%) took three PIM, four (1.2%) took four PIM and one (0.3%) took five PIM. Of the 184 total PIM identified, the top three drug classes were non‐COX‐selective non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (24.0%), tricyclic antidepressants (16.8%) and benzodiazepines (14.6%). Polypharmacy (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–4.12) and the use of any psychotropic drug use (OR 22.05, 95% CI 5.80–83.84) were associated with PIM exposure. In the Poisson regression model, the risk of taking a PIM significantly decreased with age (OR 0.95, CI 0.91–0.99) and increased as the number of drugs prescribed increased (OR 1.11, CI 1.08–1.15).</p> </sec> <sec id="ggi12059-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The prevalence of PIM is relatively high in community‐dwelling older people aged ≥75 years living in New Zealand. PIM defined by the Beers criteria might be a useful initial screening tool, before efforts to stop unsafe medication use or replace with safer alternatives are initiated. <bold>Geriatr Gerontol Int 2014; 14: 89–93.</bold></p> </sec> </abstract>