[Characteristics of potentially inappropriate prescribing of drugs in elderly polypathological patients]

Abstract

Objective: To analyse potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in elderly polypathological patients (PP).

Method: Multicentre observational, prospective study of 672 patients aged 75 years and older hospitalised in Internal Medicine between April 2011 and March 2012. The Beers, STOPP-START and ACOVE criteria were used to detect potentially inappropriate prescribing and the results of PP and non-PP patients were compared.

Results: Of the 672 patients included, 419 (62%) were polypathological, of which 89.3% met PIP criteria versus 79.4% of non-polypathological patients (p <0.01). 40.3% of polypathological patients met at least one Beers criteria, 62.8% at least one STOPP criteria, 62.3% at least one START criteria and 65.6% at least one ACOVE criteria. The rate of potentially inappropriate prescribing was higher in polypathological patients regardless of the tool used.

Conclusions: Given the high rate of potentially inappropriate prescribing in polypathological patients, strategies to improve prescribing adequacy must be developed.

Keywords: Adecuación; Adequacy; Edad avanzada; Elderly; Inappropriate prescription; Multimorbidity; Multimorbilidad; Pluripatología; Polifarmacia; Polypathology; Polypharmacy; Potentially inappropriate prescribing; Prescripción inapropiada; Uso inadecuado de medicamentos.