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Associations between hyper-polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate prescribing with clinical and functional outcomes in older adults

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posted on 2022-03-01, 00:00 authored by Alemayehu MekonnenAlemayehu Mekonnen, Bernice Redley, K Crawford, S Jones, B de Courten, Elizabeth ManiasElizabeth Manias
Background: Hyper-polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) are common among older inpatients. This study investigated associations between hyper-polypharmacy and PIP with clinical and functional outcomes in older adults at 3-months after hospital discharge. Research design and method: At discharge, prescribed medications were collected and PIPs, comprising potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) and potential prescribing omissions (PPO), were retrospectively identified using STOPP/START version 2. Outcomes were collected prospectively via telephone follow-up and audit. Results: Data for 232 patients (mean age 80 years) were analyzed. PIP prevalence at discharge was 73.7% (PIMs 62.5%, PPOs 36.6%). Exposure to at least 1 PIM was associated with an increased occurrence of unplanned hospital readmission (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 5.09; 95% CI 2.38─10.85), emergency department presentation (AOR 4.69; 95% CI 1.55─14.21) and the composite outcome (AOR 6.83; 95% CI 3.20─14.57). The number rather than the presence of PIMs was significantly associated with increased dependency in at least 1 activity of daily living (ADL) (AOR 2.31; 95% CI 1.08─4.20). Increased PIP use was associated with mortality (AOR 1.45; 95% CI 1.05─1.99). Conclusion: PIPs overall, and PIMs specifically, were frequent in older adults at hospital discharge, and were associated with increased re-hospitalizations and dependence in ADLs at 3-months post-discharge.

History

Journal

Expert Opinion on Drug Safety

Pagination

1 - 10

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Location

London, England

ISSN

1474-0338

eISSN

1744-764X

Notes

In press

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal