Prevalence and influencing factors of potentially inappropriate medication in elderly outpatients: analysis of 34 886 cases

Abstract

Objective To retrospectively analyze potential inappropriate medication (PIM) and its influencing factors among elderly outpatients in order to improve the rational drug use for them. Methods The elderly outpatients (≥65 years old) admitted in our hospital from November 1 to December 30, 2019 were enrolled in this study. Their PIMs were evaluated according to the Beers Criteria of the American Geriatric Association 2019. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of PIM. Results he prescriptions of 34 886 cases were collected in the analysis. They were 17 162 males and 17 724 females, at an age of 72.55±6.53 years, and had a number of comorbidities of 2.56±1.65 and took 3.34±2.03 kinds of drugs for each patient. According to the 2019 Beers criteria, the incidence of PIM was 16.4% (5 721/34 886), involving 6 958 times of PIM in 5 721 cases. The top 3 drugs were compound hypotensor (19.09%, 1 328/6 958), sulfonylureas (11.27%, 784/6 958) and benzodiazepines (10.82%, 753/6 958). The PIM incidence distributed in the departments of neurology, geriatrics, endocrinology, cardiology and traditional medicine and rheumatology. Logistic regression analysis showed that age (≥75 years), number of medications (≥5), number of comorbidities (5~9) and prescriptions containing compound preparations were independent risk factors for PIM (P < 0.001). Conclusion According to the 2019 Beers criteria, the incidence of PIM is relatively high in elderly outpatients, so rational drug use needs to be improved in clinical practice. Combination of various drugs is the most important risk factors of PIM, and should be paid attention by clinicians and pharmacists.

Keywords

• aged
• outpatients
• potentially inappropriate medication