Categorisation and assessment of medication discontinuation tools in elderly, frail patients

Abstract

Older frail patients with multiple diagnoses and comprehensive medication lists are at risk of drug interaction, adverse events, and unnecessary medication. The aim of this review is to evaluate existing tools for deprescribing in older frail patients. The identified eight tools can be organised in three levels. They all contribute to the understanding and execution of deprescribing. Further studies increasing the current evidence of the deprescribing tools are needed. Further studies concerning patient barriers and clinical outcomes are needed.