Prevalence and predictors of inappropriate prescribing according to the Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions and Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment version 2 criteria in older patients discharged from geriatric and internal medicine wards: A prospective observational multicenter study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) and potential prescribing omissions (PPO) in hospital-discharged older patients, according to the recently updated Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions and Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment version 2 criteria.

Methods: This was a multicenter prospective observational study of patients aged ≥65 years consecutively discharged from geriatric and internal medicine wards. Each patient underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, and PIM and PPO at discharge were determined according to the Screening Tool of Older People's Prescriptions and Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment version 2 criteria. A multivariate logistic regression was carried out to identify variables independently associated with PIM and PPO.

Results: Among 726 participants (mean age 81.5 years, 47.8% women), the prevalence of PIM and PPO were 54.4% and 44.5%, respectively. Benzodiazepines and proton-pump inhibitors were the drugs most frequently involved with PIM, whereas PPO were often related to 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, statins and drugs for osteoporosis. The number of medications (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15-1.28) and discharge from geriatric units (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.40-0.75) were associated with PIM, whereas PPO were independently associated with discharge from geriatric wards (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.31-0.62), age (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07), comorbidities (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.30) and the number of drugs (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.18).

Conclusions: Inappropriate prescribing is highly prevalent among hospital-discharged older patients, and is associated with polypharmacy and discharge from internal medicine departments. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 5-11.

Keywords: STOPP START criteria; inappropriate prescribing; older people; polypharmacy; potential prescribing omissions.