Evaluation of Potentially Inappropriate Drug Use in Older Adult Outpatients Using the Turkish Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly Criteria in Kütahya Province, Turkey

Abstract

Introduction:The population aged 65 years and older has the highest rates of drug use and is more sensitive to drug effects. Appropriate medication use among older adults is associated with poor clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to use national criteria to evaluate inappropriate drug use among individuals aged 65 years and older who were admitted to the internal medicine outpatient clinic.Methods:Our study was conducted using 385 randomized patients aged 65 years and older who were treated at the Evliya Çelebi Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinic of Kütahya University. The study was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive survey. It evaluated potentially inappropriate drugs and possible prescribing neglect according to the Turkish Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly (TIME) criteria.Results:Potentially inappropriate drug use was detected in 127 patients (33%) using the TIME-to-STOP criteria. The first three potentially inappropriate medications determined by the TIME-to-STOP criteria were proton pump inhibitor deficient use, tight blood pressure control, and tight blood sugar control. Using the TIME-to-START criteria, potential prescribing omissions (PPO) were detected in 379 (98.4%) patients. The first three PPO in the TIME-to-START criteria were about vaccines deficient in patients.Conclusion:Country-specific criteria are more effective for inappropriate medication use.

Keywords

• aged
• disease
• potentially inappropriate medications
• inappropriate prescribing
• turkey