Diagnosis of drug-related problems in elderly patients at the time of hospitalization

Abstract

Objectives. To diagnose drug-related problems (DRPs) in patients over 64 years of age at the time of hospitalization. Materials and methods. The detection of overprescription and misprescription of medications was done using the Index of Appropriate Drug Use, and for underprescription the Indication of Adequate Drug Use in Vulnerable Elderly Adults and the test of the Evaluation of the Underuse of Drugs were used. The evaluation of drug adherence and adverse drug reactions was completed using the Morisky-Green Questionnaire and the Karch and Lasgna Algorithm, respectively. Results. The study was conducted in 100 inpatients in a geriatric service in a multi-specialty hospital in Lima, Peru; the median age was 76.26 ± 6.91and 55% were males. After evaluating 555 drugs with the Index of Appropriate Drug Use, 254 of them (45.8%) qualified for at least one or more of the criteria studied for inadequate prescription, corresponding to 89 of the studied patients. We found the underuse (21%) of Warfarin or aspirin by eligible patients with auricular fibrillation, and no use (59%) of beta blockers by patients with a history of acute myocardial infarction. The non-adherence and frequency of adverse reactions that motivated hospitalization were 63% and 24%, respectively. Conclusions. The diagnosis of DRPs in elderly adults at the time of hospitalization using valid instruments is extremely useful and should be part of the integral geriatric evaluation of the elderly.