Development of a Malaysian potentially inappropriate prescribing screening tool in older adults (MALPIP): a Delphi study.

INTRODUCTION: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are common among older adults. To guide appropriate prescribing, healthcare professionals often rely on explicit criteria to identify and deprescribe inappropriate medications, or to start medications due to prescribing omission. However, most explicit PIM criteria were developed with inadequate guidance from quality metrics or integrating real-world data, which are rich and valuable data source. AIM: To develop a list of medications to facilitate appropriate prescribing among older adults. METHODS: A preliminary list of PIM and potential prescribing omission (PPO) were generated from systematic review, supplemented with local pharmacovigilance data of adverse reaction incidents among older people. Twenty-one experts from nine specialties participated in two Delphi to determine the list of PIM and PPO in February and March 2023. Items that did not reach consensus after the second Delphi round were adjudicated by six geriatricians. RESULTS: The preliminary list included 406 potential candidates, categorised into three sections: PIM independent of diseases, disease dependent PIM and omitted drugs that could be restarted. At the end of Delphi, 92 items were decided as PIM, including medication classes, such as antacids, laxatives, antithrombotics, antihypertensives, hormones, analgesics, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and antihistamines. Forty-two disease-specific PIM criteria were included, covering circulatory system, nervous system, gastrointestinal system, genitourinary system, and respiratory system. Consensus to start potentially omitted treatment was achieved in 35 statements across nine domains. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed PIM criteria can serve as a useful tool to guide clinicians and pharmacists in identifying PIMs and PPOs during medication review and facilitating informed decision-making for appropriate prescribing.

STOPP/START Anti-aggregation and Anticoagulation Alerts in Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is common in the elderly. A key component of AF management is Oral Anticoagulant Therapy (OAT), consisting of Vitamin K Antagonists (VKAs) or Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs). The aim of the present study is to check, using STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions)/START (Screening Tool to Alert to Right Treatment) Criteria, if such drugs are potentially inappropriately prescribed/omitted in an elderly population with AF, and to determine their impact on mortality. METHODS: This study included patients (n = 427) with nonvalvular AF consecutively evaluated between 2013 and 2019 at the Geriatric Outpatient Service, University Hospital of Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy, and followed up for 36 months. The OAT group included 330 patients; the other 97 patients constituted the non-OAT group. The sample was assessed for STOPP/START criteria. RESULTS: We found no difference (p > 0.1) in comorbidity burden, frailty, and cardio-cerebro-vascular disease prevalence in the two groups, which also did not present a difference in 36-month mortality (p = 0.97). OAT was overall appropriately taken, and 62.4% of OAT-group presented the START criterion to take antiplatelets but also the STOPP criterion not to take them, because of the simultaneous anticoagulant intake. In the non-OAT group, 69.1% presented the START criterion to take anticoagulants, and 21.6% the START criterion to take antiplatelets. CONCLUSION: Patients with AF are often prone to under or over-prescription, particularly of antithrombotic drugs. The STOPP/START criteria are a valid tool to assess and correct wrong therapeutic choices. In frail and comorbid subjects, survival is not correlated with the assumption of OAT.

Detecting Medication Risks among People in Need of Care: Performance of Six Instruments.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous tools exist to detect potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and potential prescribing omissions (PPO) in older people, but it remains unclear which tools may be most relevant in which setting. OBJECTIVES: This cross sectional study compares six validated tools in terms of PIM and PPO detection. METHODS: We examined the PIM/PPO prevalence for all tools combined and the sensitivity of each tool. The pairwise agreement between tools was determined using Cohen's Kappa. RESULTS: We included 226 patients in need of care (median (IQR age 84 (80-89)). The overall PIM prevalence was 91.6 (95% CI, 87.2-94.9)% and the overall PPO prevalence was 63.7 (57.1-69.9%)%. The detected PIM prevalence ranged from 76.5%, for FORTA-C/D, to 6.6% for anticholinergic drugs (German-ACB). The PPO prevalences for START (63.7%) and FORTA-A (62.8%) were similar. The pairwise agreement between tools was poor to moderate. The sensitivity of PIM detection was highest for FORTA-C/D (55.1%), and increased to 79.2% when distinct items from STOPP were added. CONCLUSION: Using a single screening tool may not have sufficient sensitivity to detect PIMs and PPOs. Further research is required to optimize the composition of PIM and PPO tools in different settings.

Assessment of Potentially Inappropriate Prescribing for People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Using IMPACT2DM, a New Explicit Tool.

BACKGROUND: People with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at greater risk of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) due to multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy. IMPACT2DM (Inappropriate Medication Prescribing Assessment Criteria for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) is a tool designed to identify PIP for adults with T2DM. OBJECTIVES: To assess PIP for adults with T2DM in Ethiopia using the IMPACT2DM and to test the face validity and clinical validity of the tool. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken using data extracted retrospectively from the medical records of adults being managed for T2DM at Debretabore Hospital. PIP was assessed using IMPACT2DM. Some items/item components of IMPACT2DM were modified to increase the tool's applicability for the outpatient setting, to clarify content or to use the terms most common in this particular setting. Multivariant logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with PIP. RESULTS: More than 90% of medical records had at least 1 PIP. Prescribing omission (80.9%) was the most commonly identified type of PIP. Adults with prescribing omissions are more likely to be ≥40 years old or to be prescribed with <5 medications. Adults with dosing problems were more likely ≥50 years old, or have had a fasting blood sugar (FBS) level out of the target range (80-130 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: IMPACT2DM is a clinically valid PIP identification tool for application in an Ethiopian outpatient setting. Health professionals should be alert to check for potential prescribing omissions for adults ≥40 years old and dosing problems for adults with an FBS level out of the target range or >50 years.

Comprehensive Multimorbidity Patterns in Older Patients Are Associated with Quality Indicators of Medication-MoPIM Cohort Study.

Multimorbidity is increasing and poses a challenge to the clinical management of patients with multiple conditions and drug prescriptions. The objectives of this work are to evaluate if multimorbidity patterns are associated with quality indicators of medication: potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) or adverse drug reactions (ADRs). A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted including 740 older (≥65 years) patients hospitalised due to chronic pathology exacerbation. Sociodemographic, clinical and medication related variables (polypharmacy, PIP according to STOPP/START criteria, ADRs) were collected. Bivariate analyses were performed comparing previously identified multimorbidity clusters (osteoarticular, psychogeriatric, minor chronic disease, cardiorespiratory) to presence, number or specific types of PIP or ADRs. Significant associations were found in all clusters. The osteoarticular cluster presented the highest prevalence of PIP (94.9%) and ADRs (48.2%), mostly related to anxiolytics and antihypertensives, followed by the minor chronic disease cluster, associated with ADRs caused by antihypertensives and insulin. The psychogeriatric cluster presented PIP and ADRs of neuroleptics and the cardiorespiratory cluster indicators were better overall. In conclusion, the associations that were found reinforce the existence of multimorbidity patterns and support specific medication review actions according to each patient profile. Thus, determining the relationship between multimorbidity profiles and quality indicators of medication could help optimise healthcare processes. Trial registration number: NCT02830425.

A tool for screening potentially inappropriate prescribing in Chinese children.

Background: More than half of adverse drug events in pediatric patients are avoidable and blocking medication errors at the prescribing stage might be one of the most effective preventive measures. Objective : To form a tool (a series of criteria) for detecting potentially inappropriate prescriptions in children, promote clinical rational drug use and reduce risks of medication in children. Methods: Potentially inappropriate prescription propositions for children were collected through a systematic review. Then, the Delphi technique was adopted to form the final criteria. Panelists were asked to use a 5-point Likert scale to rate their agreement with each potentially inappropriate prescription proposition and were encouraged to add new propositions based on their clinical experience and knowledge. After 2 rounds of Delphi survey and propositions were fully revised and improved, the final criteria for identifying potentially inappropriate prescriptions in children were formed. Results: The final criteria for identifying potential inappropriate prescriptions in children has 136 propositions, which were divided into "criteria for children with non-specific diseases/conditions" (71 propositions: 68 for potentially inappropriate medication, 3 for potential prescribing omission) and "criteria for children with specific diseases/conditions" (65 propositions: 55 for potentially inappropriate medication, 10 for potential prescribing omission), according to whether the proposition was about identifying specific risks associated with one drug in children with a specific other diseases/conditions that do not exist in children with other diseases/conditions. Conclusion: A tool for screening potentially inappropriate prescriptions in children is formed to detect potentially inappropriate medication and prescribing omission in pediatrics and is available to all medical professionals liable to prescribe or dispense medicines to children.

A Snapshot of Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions upon Pediatric Discharge in Oman.

Background: Identifying and quantifying potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) practices remains a time-consuming and challenging task, particularly among the pediatric population. In recent years, several valuable tools have been developed and validated for assessing PIP. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PIP and related risk factors in pediatric patients at a tertiary care hospital in Oman. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the medical records of pediatric patients (<18 years) from 1 October to 31 December 2019. Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and potential prescribing omission (PPO) were assessed using an internationally validated pediatric omission of prescriptions and inappropriate prescriptions (POPI) tool. Results: A total of 685 patients were included; 57.5% were male, and 30.5% had at least one comorbidity. Polypharmacy was identified in 70.2% of these patients, with a median of 2 (1−3) medications. PIM was observed in 20.4% of the cohort, with the highest in ENT-pulmonary disease (30.5%), followed by dermatological disorders (28.6%). PPO was identified in 6.9% of the patients with digestive and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the highest rate of 54% and 24%, respectively. Age (p = 0.006), number of medications (p = 0.034), and prescriber rank (p = 0.006) were identified as significant predictors of PIM, whereas age (p = 0.044) was the only significant predictor for PPO. Conclusions: The rates of PIM and PPO were high in this study population. In light of these findings, educational and interventional activities and programs are needed.

Tools for Identifying Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions for Children and Their Applicability in Clinical Practices: A Systematic Review.

Background: Drug use safety in children is a global public health problem. The potentially inappropriate prescription screening tools are expected to reduce adverse drug reactions and promote rational drug use. Objectives: To systematically evaluate children's potentially inappropriate prescription screening tools and validation studies on these tools. Methods: We systematically searched six databases PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data. Two reviewers independently selected articles by the eligible criteria and extracted data. Then we evaluated the coverage of diseases or drugs in these tools and the consistency of items between tools. Results: Five children's potentially inappropriate prescription screening tools were identified, most tools were formed by Delphi expert consensus and focused on respiratory system drugs, anti-infective drugs, and gastrointestinal drugs. The coincidence rates of items between the POPI and the POPI Int, the POPI and the POPI United Kingdom, the POPI United Kingdom and the POPI int, and the POPI United Kingdom and the PIPc were 82.0, 55.1, 51.0 and 2.2% respectively, and the KIDs List did not overlap other four tools. Only the POPI tool developed by French experts was comprehensively validated by studies and most tools have not been validated. Conclusion: The development of screening tools for potentially inappropriate prescribing in children is a neglected field and most tools lack studies to validate clinical applicability. More researchers need to form their national potentially inappropriate prescription screening tools for children based on the best available clinical evidence and the actual clinical situation in their countries.

Polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate prescribing and medication complexity in Turkish older patients in the community pharmacy setting.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and medication complexity in Turkish older patients in the community pharmacy setting and to determine the factors associated with PIP. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the community pharmacy setting in Istanbul. Older patients (≥65 years old) who chronically used at least one medication and visited the community pharmacy for any reason in the past 4 months were invited in this study. PIP was determined by using the Ghent Older People's Prescriptions Community Pharmacy Screening (GheOP3S)-tool. The Turkish version of the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI) was used to determine medication complexity. RESULTS: Polypharmacy (defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications) was found in 69.0% of 158 patients. A total of 398 PIPs were detected and 83.5% (n = 132) of older patients had at least one PIP. The median (IQR) MRCI score was 12.5 (7.0-19.6). The factors associated with having ≥2 PIP were advanced age (≥75 years old) (OR = 2.87, 95% CI 1.41-5.81; p < 0.05), higher number of chronic diseases (when ≥3, OR = 8.51, 95% CI 3.66-19.76; p < 0.05), receiving polypharmacy (OR = 8.92, 95% CI 4.09-19.46; p < 0.05), and higher MRCI scores (when MRCI ≥12.5, OR = 4.40, 95% CI 2.22-8.71; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: More than half of the Turkish older patients had polypharmacy and the rate of PIP was high. A higher number of PIP was associated with advanced age, higher number of chronic diseases, polypharmacy, and more complex medication regimens.

The impact of a multifaceted intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate prescribing among discharged older adults: a before-and-after study.

BACKGROUND: Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is associated with the incidence of adverse drug reactions, drug-related hospitalization and other negative outcomes in older adults. After hospitalization, older adults might be discharged with several types of PIPs. Studies have found that the lack of healthcare professionals' (HCPs) knowledge regarding PIP is one of the major contributing factors in this issue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a multifaceted intervention on physicians' and clinical pharmacists' behavior regarding potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) and potential prescribing omission (PPO) among hospitalized older adults. METHODS: This is a before-and-after study that took place in a tertiary Malaysian hospital. Discharge medications of patients ≥65 years old were reviewed to identify PIMs/PPOs using version 2 of the STOPP/START criteria. The prevalence and pattern of PIM/PPO before and after the intervention were compared. The intervention targeted the physicians and clinical pharmacists and it consisted of academic detailing and a newly developed smartphone application (app). RESULTS: The study involved 240 patients before (control group) and 240 patients after the intervention. The prevalence of PIM was 22% and 27% before and after the intervention, respectively (P = 0.213). The prevalence of PPO in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (42% Vs. 53.3%); P = 0.014. This difference remained statistically significant after controlling for other variables (P = 0.015). The intervention was effective in reducing the two most common PPOs; the omission of vitamin D supplements in patients with a history of falls (P = 0.001) and the omission of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in patients with coronary artery disease (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The smartphone app coupled with academic detailing was effective in reducing the prevalence of PPO at discharge. However, it did not significantly affect the prevalence or pattern of PIM.

Inappropriate medication use in hospitalised oldest old patients across transitions of care.

BACKGROUND: Oldest old patients aged 85 years and over are at risk of experiencing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) across transitions of care. Geriatricians also face enormous challenges in prescribing medications for these patients. METHODS: A mixed-methods, sequential explanatory design was undertaken of electronic medical records and semi-structured interviews with geriatricians at a public teaching hospital. Data were collected at four time points using the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool to Alert doctors to the Right Treatment (START). RESULTS: Of 249 patients, the prevalence of at least 1 PIM varied between 36.9 and 51.0%, while the prevalence of at least 1 PPO varied between 36.9 and 44.6%. The most common PIM was use of proton pump inhibitors while the most common PPO was omission of vitamin D supplements in housebound patients or patients experiencing falls. Poisson regression analysis showed that PIMs were significantly associated with use of mobility aids, 1.430 (95% CI 1.109-1.843, p = 0.006), and number of medications prescribed at admission, 1.083 (95% CI 1.058-1.108, p < 0.001). PPOs were significantly associated with comorbidities, 1.172 (95% CI 1.073-1.280, p < 0.001), medications prescribed at admission, 0.989 (95% CI 0.978-0.999, p = 0.035), and length of stay, 1.004 (95% CI 1.002-1.006, p < 0.001). Geriatrician interviews (N = 9) revealed medication-related, health professional-related and patient-related challenges with managing medications. CONCLUSIONS: Inappropriate prescribing is common in oldest old patients. Greater attention is needed on actively de-prescribing medications that are not beneficial and commencing medications that would be advantageous. Tailored strategies for improving prescribing practices are needed.