Drug-Related Problems and Polypharmacy in Nursing Home Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study

At present, 19.2% of the Spanish population is aged 65 or older. Polypharmacy is a frequent condition among the elderly, especially in those living in nursing homes, which is associated with adverse outcomes, such as adverse drug events or drug-drug interactions. This study aimed to assess the patte...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-04, Vol.19 (7), p.4313
Main Authors: Díez, Raquel, Cadenas, Raquel, Susperregui, Julen, Sahagún, Ana M, Fernández, Nélida, García, Juan J, Sierra, Matilde, López, Cristina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aging
Anticholinergics
Benzodiazepines
Chronic illnesses
Cross-Sectional Studies
Drug development
Drug Interactions
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions - epidemiology
Evaluation
Geriatrics
Humans
Inappropriate Prescribing
Institutionalization
Nervous system
Nursing Homes
Older people
Polypharmacy
Population
Risk
Software
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:At present, 19.2% of the Spanish population is aged 65 or older. Polypharmacy is a frequent condition among the elderly, especially in those living in nursing homes, which is associated with adverse outcomes, such as adverse drug events or drug-drug interactions. This study aimed to assess the pattern of polypharmacy in a nursing home in Leon, one of Spain's most ageing regions, and its relationship with different drug-related problems. A descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study design was used; 222 residents were involved in this study. Data on drug use were collected from medical charts. Information was screened with the software CheckTheMeds, BOT PLUS and Drug-Reax. Residents were on a median of 7 medicines. Polypharmacy and inappropriate medications were present in 78.8% and 96.8% of residents, respectively. Drug-related problems were present in almost all the populations evaluated. Drug-drug interactions were very common in participants (81.1%), being severe/moderate in 24.7%. A high prevalence of polypharmacy and drug-related problems in the nursing home population assessed has been observed. A significantly higher risk of suffering drug-drug interactions was revealed for increasing polypharmacy and anticholinergic risk. A regular evaluation of drug prescribing in nursing home residents is necessary to minimize drug-related problems risk.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph19074313