Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate prescribing of benzodiazepines in older nursing home residents.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research has raised concerns about high prevalence of drug-related problems, polypharmacy and inappropriate benzodiazepine prescribing in nursing homes (NHs) and confirmed lack of studies from Central and South-Eastern Europe. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of polypharmacy, hyperpolypharmacy and inappropriate benzodiazepine prescribing in NH residents in Croatia. METHODS: Data from 226 older NH residents from five Croatian NHs were collected using the InterRAI Long-Term Care Facilities assessment form. The prevalence and determinants of polypharmacy/hyperpolypharmacy and patterns of inappropriate benzodiazepine prescribing were documented. RESULTS: The prevalence of polypharmacy (49.6%) and hyperpolypharmacy (25.7%) among NH residents was high. In our study, 72.1% of NH residents were prescribed at least one psychotropic agent, 36.7% used 2-3 psychotropics and 6.6% used 4+ psychotropics. Among benzodiazepine users (55.8%), 28% of residents were prescribed benzodiazepines in higher than recommended geriatric doses, 75% used them for the long term and 48% were prescribed concomitant interacting medications. The odds of being prescribed polypharmacy/hyperpolypharmacy were significantly higher for older patients with polymorbidity (6+ disorders, proportional odds ratio (POR) = 19.8), type II diabetes (POR = 5.2), ischemic heart disease (POR = 4.6), higher frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS ≥5); POR = 4.3) and gastrointestinal problems (POR = 4.8). CONCLUSIONS: Our research underscores the persistent challenge of inappropriate medication use and drug-related harms among older NH residents, despite existing evidence and professional campaigns. Effective regulatory and policy interventions, including the implementation of geriatrician and clinical pharmacy services, are essential to address this critical issue and ensure optimal medication management for vulnerable NH populations.

Deprescribing potential of commonly used medications among community-dwelling older adults: insights from a pharmacist's geriatric assessment.

Pharmacist's geriatric assessment can provide valuable insights into potential deprescribing targets, while including important information on various health-related domains. Data collected from a geriatric assessment questionnaire, for 388 patients, from the Croatian cohort of the EuroAgeism H2020 ESR 7 international project, along with guideline-based deprescribing criteria, were used to analyse potentially inappropriate prescribing of four medication groups (benzodiazepines (BZN), proton pump inhibitors (PPI), opioids, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)), and to assess the deprescribing potential. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the effects of age, gender, number of medicines and diagnoses, self-reported health, frailty score, and healthcare utilization on the likelihood of needing deprescribing. More than half of participants (n = 216, 55.2%) are candidates for deprescribing, with 31.1% of PPI, 74.8% of NSAID, 75% of opioid, and 96.1% of BZN users meeting at least one criterion. Most common criteria for deprescribing were inappropriately long use and safety concerns. Women (aOR = 2.58; p < 0.001), those reporting poor self-reported health (aOR = 5.14; p < 0.001), and those exposed to polypharmacy (aOR = 1.29; p < 0.001) had higher odds of needing to have medicines deprescribed. The high rate of deprescribing potential warrants prompt action to increase patient safety and decrease polypharmacy. Pharmacist's geriatric assessment and deprescribing-focused medication review could be used to lead a personalised approach.

Recommendations for wider adoption of clinical pharmacy in Central and Eastern Europe in order to optimise pharmacotherapy and improve patient outcomes.

Clinical pharmacy as an area of practice, education and research started developing around the 1960s when pharmacists across the globe gradually identified the need to focus more on ensuring the appropriate use of medicines to improve patient outcomes rather than being engaged in manufacturing and supply. Since that time numerous studies have shown the positive impact of clinical pharmacy services (CPS). The need for wider adoption of CPS worldwide becomes urgent, as the global population ages, and the prevalence of polypharmacy as well as shortage of healthcare professionals is rising. At the same time, there is great pressure to provide both high-quality and cost-effective health services. All these challenges urgently require the adoption of a new paradigm of healthcare system architecture. One of the most appropriate answers to these challenges is to increase the utilization of the potential of highly educated and skilled professionals widely available in these countries, i.e., pharmacists, who are well positioned to prevent and manage drug-related problems together with ensuring safe and effective use of medications with further care relating to medication adherence. Unfortunately, CPS are still underdeveloped and underutilized in some parts of Europe, namely, in most of the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. This paper reviews current situation of CPS development in CEE countries and the prospects for the future of CPS in that region.

Frailty modifies the effect of polypharmacy and multimorbidity on the risk of death among nursing home residents: Results from the SHELTER study.

Background: Frailty, disability, and polypharmacy are prevalent in nursing home (NH) residents, often co-occurring with multimorbidity. There may be a complex interplay among them in terms of outcomes such as mortality. Aims of the study were to (i) assess whether nursing home residents with polypharmacy (5-9 medications) or hyperpolypharmacy (≥10 drugs), have an increased risk of death and (ii) whether any association is modified by the co-presence of frailty or disability. Methods: Cohort study with longitudinal mortality data including 4,023 residents from 50 European and 7 Israeli NH facilities (mean age = 83.6 years, 73.2% female) in The Services and Health for Elderly in Long Term care (SHELTER) cohort study. Participants were evaluated with the interRAI-LongTerm Care assessment tool. Frailty was evaluated with the FRAIL-NH scale. Hazard ratio (HR) of death over 12 months was assessed with stratified Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographics, facilities, and cognitive status. Results: 1,042 (25.9%) participants were not on polypharmacy, 49.8% (n = 2,002) were on polypharmacy, and 24.3% (n = 979) on hyperpolypharmacy. Frailty and disability mostly increased risk of death in the study population (frailty: HR = 1.85, 95%CI 1.49-2.28; disability: HR = 2.10, 95%CI 1.86-2.47). Among non-frail participants, multimorbidity (HR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.01-1.82) and hyperpolypharmacy (HR = 1.61, 95%CI = 1.09-2.40) were associated with higher risk of death. Among frail participants, no other factors were associated with mortality. Polypharmacy and multimorbidity were not associated with mortality after stratification for disability. Conclusions: Frailty and disability are the strongest predictors of death in NH residents. Multimorbidity and hyperpolypharmacy increase mortality only in people without frailty. These findings may be relevant to identify patients who could benefit from tailored deprescription.

Identifying Potential Drug-Related Problems Among Geriatric Patients With Use of an Integrated Clinical Decision Support Tool.

Background: Drug-related problems (DRPs) which arise from potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) are a common problem in older people with multi-morbidity and polypharmacy. Aim: To develop an integrated PIM clinical decision support tool for identification of DRPs in geriatric multi-morbid polypharmacy patients, using the EU(7)-PIM and EURO-FORTA lists, with a focus on high-risk medications. Methods: The integrated PIM tool used the information on PIMs in both databases-the EU(7)-PIM and EURO-FORTA. PIMs were classified into four color groups based on risk profile: high-risk PIMs (should be avoided in older patients) as red, moderate-risk PIMs (require dose and/or treatment duration adjustment) as yellow, low-risk PIMs (low DRP risk) as green, and questionable PIMs (incomplete/missing information) as grey. Results: The summarized list of the high-risk (red and some grey) PIMs contained 81 active substances and medication classes. According to the ATC classification, most of the high-risk PIMs (n = 60, 74.1%) belong to the A, C, and N medication groups and 50.6% (n = 41) of the high-risk PIMs have currently marketing authorization in Estonia. The preliminary list of the moderate- and low-risk (yellow, green, and other grey) PIMs contained 240 active substances and medication classes, but sub-classification of this category into one or another group depends mainly on an individual patient´s clinical characteristics in a concrete analyzed study sample and needs further research. Conclusion: The integrated clinical decision support tool based on the EU(7)-PIM and EURO-FORTA criteria addresses the need for more efficient identification of DRPs. It can be applied to identify PIMs and geriatric prescribing problems in different health care settings, and also in a context of little clinical information available.

Polypharmacy and Hyperpolypharmacy in Older Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Polypharmacy (concomitant use of 5-9 medicines) and hyperpolypharmacy (concomitant use of over 10 medicines) were observed to be more frequent in older adults (≥65 years) and associated with adverse outcomes. Their prevalence and risk in older patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) remain unknown. We aimed to synthesize the extant evidence on the prevalence and risk of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy in older adults with PD. METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase databases to identify pertinent studies published from 2000 to July 2021. Observational studies reporting the prevalence and association with disease of polypharmacy/hyperpolypharmacy in older adults with PD were meta-analyzed. Pooled prevalence and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Out of the total 499 studies identified, 6 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and comprised 7,171 participants. The overall prevalence of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy was 40% (95% CI: 37-44) and 18% (95% CI: 13-23), respectively. A meta-analysis of 4 studies indicated a significant association between polypharmacy (OR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.26-2.62; p < 0.001) and PD. Hyperpolypharmacy was also strongly associated with PD (OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 2.08-4.14; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy (40%) and hyperpolypharmacy (18%) are highly prevalent and eventually increase the risk of drug-related problems in older adults with PD. Therefore, interventions that ensure rational geriatric pharmacotherapy are of critical importance for the older population with neurogenerative disorders.

Prevalence of Polypharmacy and Risks of Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in the Older Population in a Developing Country: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older populations (65+ years) have not yet been investigated by meta-analyses in developing countries. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use and major risk factors associated with PIM prescribing in older adults in Ethiopia. METHODS: We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant studies published between January 1990 and October 2020. Observational studies reporting the prevalence and association of risk factors with polypharmacy and PIM use in the older population were meta-analyzed. A multilevel meta-analysis was conducted to pool the prevalence estimates, and the risk of PIM use was reported as a relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: We identified by systematic literature review 404 articles. Of those, 8 studies fulfilled inclusion criteria, comprising a total sample of 2,608 participants. The overall prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use pooled by meta-analysis in the Ethiopian older population was 33 and 37%, respectively. The risk factors of PIM use were analyzed in the meta-analysis (particularly polymorbidity, polypharmacy, gender, and older age), and only older age of 65+ (RR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.16-2.51) was significantly associated with PIM use. CONCLUSION: This first meta-analysis from a developing country revealed a high prevalence of polypharmacy and PIM use in the Ethiopian older population. There was no awareness about the risk of PIMs in patients with polypharmacy and polymorbidity, and older age significantly predicted PIM use. Interventions ensuring rational geriatric pharmacotherapy are essential in developing countries in order to reduce the expected burden of PIM-related geriatric morbidity, higher costs, and mortality.

Prevalence and Determinants of Multimorbidity, Polypharmacy, and Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in the Older Outpatients: Findings from EuroAgeism H2020 ESR7 Project in Ethiopia.

Few studies have been conducted on multimorbidity (two or more chronic diseases) and rational geriatric prescribing in Africa. This study examined the prevalence and determinants of multimorbidity, polypharmacy (five or more long-term medications), and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use according to the 2019 Beers criteria among the older adults attending chronic care clinics from a single institution in Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 320 randomly selected older adults from 12 March 2020 to 30 August 2020. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictor variables. The prevalence of multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and PIM exposure was 59.1%, 24.1%, and 47.2%, respectively. Diuretics (10%), insulin sliding scale (8.8%), amitriptyline (7.8%), and aspirin (6.9%) were among the most frequently prescribed PIMs. Older patients experiencing pain flare-ups were more likely to have multimorbidity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.64, 95% confidence intervals: 1.13-2.39). Persistent anger (AOR: 3.33; 1.71-6.47) and use of mobility aids (AOR: 2.41, 1.35-4.28) were associated with polypharmacy. Moreover, cognitive impairment (AOR: 1.65, 1.15-2.34) and health deterioration (AOR: 1.61, 1.11-2.32) increased the likelihood of PIM exposure. High prevalence of multimorbidity and PIM use was observed in Ethiopia. Several important determinants that can be modified by applying PIM criteria in routine practice were also identified.

Prevalence of Polypharmacy, Hyperpolypharmacy and Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Older people often receive multiple medications for chronic conditions, which often result in polypharmacy (concomitant use of 5‒9 medicines) and hyperpolypharmacy (concomitant use of ≥10 medicines). A limited number of studies have been performed to evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy, hyperpolypharmacy, and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in older people of developing countries. The present study aimed to investigate regional variations in the prevalence of polypharmacy, hyperpolypharmacy, and PIM use in older people (60 + years) in India. Methods: Studies were identified using Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases published from inception (2002) to September 31, 2020. Out of the total 1890 articles, 27 were included in the study. Results: Overall, the pooled prevalence of polypharmacy was 49% (95% confidence interval: 42-56; p < 0.01), hyperpolypharmacy was 31% (21-40; p < 0.01), and PIM use was 28% (24-32; p < 0.01) among older Indian adults. Polypharmacy was more prevalent in North-east India (65%, 50-79), whereas hyperpolypharmacy was prevalent in south India (33%, 17-48). Region-wize estimates for the pooled prevalence of PIM use in India were as follows: 23% (21-25) in East, 33% in West (24-42), 17.8% in North (11-23), and 32% (26-38) in South India. The prevalence of PIM use in adults aged ≥70°years was 35% (28-42), in those taking more medications (≥5.5/day) was 27% (22-31), and in adults using a high number of PIMs (≥3) was 29% (22-36). Subgroup analysis showed that cross-sectional studies had a higher pooled prevalence of polypharmacy 55% (44-65) than cohorts 45% (37-54). Hyperpolypharmacy in inpatient care settings was 37% (26-47), whereas PIM use was higher in private hospitals 31% (24-38) than government hospitals 25% (19-31). Conclusion: Polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy are widely prevalent in India. About 28% of older Indian adults are affected by PIM use. Thus, appropriate steps are needed to promote rational geriatric prescribing in India. Systematic Review Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov, identifier [CRD42019141037].

Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Hospitalized Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at greater risk of receiving potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) during hospitalization which may result in adverse outcomes. Aim: To evaluate the extent of PIM use in the older population with T2DM during hospitalization in a tertiary care hospital in India. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from August 2019 to January 2020 in a tertiary care teaching hospital among the older population (aged ≥ 65 years) hospitalized with T2DM. Medications prescribed during hospitalization were reviewed following Beers Criteria 2019 to identify the extent of polypharmacy and PIM use. Binary logistic regression was applied to determine the factors associated with PIM use. Results: The mean age of the 150 patients hospitalized with T2DM was 68.85 ± 5.51 years, most of whom were men (54.7%). The participants had at least four comorbidities and were receiving an average of nine medications per day; the median length of hospital stay was 8 days (interquartile range (IQR): 4-19 days). Overall, three quarters (74%) of the participants had at least one PIM prescribed during their hospitalization as per Beers Criteria. Significant factors associated with the use of PIM during hospitalization are patients taking a higher number of medications (odds ratio (OR): 7.85, 95% CI 1.49-41.10), lower creatinine clearance values (OR: 12.90, 95% CI 2.81-59.28) and female patients (OR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.05-4.97). Conclusions: PIM use is frequently observed in older T2DM patients during hospitalization. Polypharmacy, reduced renal function and female gender are associated with higher PIM use. Engaging clinical pharmacists in evaluating medication appropriateness can improve the outcomes of older patients.

Medication use in older patients and age-blind approach: narrative literature review (insufficient evidence on the efficacy and safety of drugs in older age, frequent use of PIMs and polypharmacy, and underuse of highly beneficial nonpharmacological strategies).

INTRODUCTION: The importance of rational drug therapy is increasing with the aging of the population. Since one of the main reasons for inappropriate drug prescribing is also the "age-blind" approach, which results in ageist practices, this narrative literature review focuses on the description of the main barriers related to insufficient individualization of drug regimens associated with such age-blind approaches. METHODOLOGY: A narrative literature review using the PubMed, WoS, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted by the EU COST Action IS1402. Experts in different scientific fields from six countries (the Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Serbia, and Turkey) worked in four specific areas: (1) underrepresentation of older adults in clinical trials and clinical and ethical consequences; (2) insufficient consideration of age-related changes and geriatric frailty in the evaluation of the therapeutic value of drugs; (3) frequent prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs); and (4) frequent underuse of highly beneficial nonpharmacological strategies (e.g., exercise). RESULTS: Older patients are underrepresented in clinical trials. Therefore, rigorous observational geriatric research is needed in order to obtain evidence on the real efficacy and safety of frequently used drugs, and e.g. developed geriatric scales and frailty indexes for claims databases should help to stimulate such research. The use of PIMs, unfortunately, is still highly prevalent in Europe: 22.6% in community-dwelling older patients and 49.0% in institutionalized older adults. Specific tests to detect the majority of age-related pharmacological changes are usually not available in everyday clinical practice, which limits the estimation of drug risks and possibilities to individualize drug therapy in geriatric patients before drug prescription. Moreover, the role of some nonpharmacological  strategies is highly underestimated in older adults in contrast to frequent use of polypharmacy. Among nonpharmacological strategies, particularly physical exercise was highly effective in reducing functional decline, frailty, and the risk of falls in the majority of clinical studies. CONCLUSION: Several regulatory and clinical barriers contribute to insufficient knowledge on the therapeutic value of drugs in older patients, age-blind approach, and inappropriate prescribing. New clinical and observational research is needed, including data on comprehensive geriatric assessment and frailty, to document the real efficacy and safety of frequently used medications.

Specific features of rational geriatric pharmacotherapy: the role of clinical pharmacists in individualized drug treatment in older age.

Polypharmacy and polymorbidity are frequent phenomena in the older age and the complexity of prescribed drug regimens often lead to prescribing problems and indication of drugs, doses and drug schemes inappropriate in older adults. Also, physiological and pathological changes accompanied aging are not sufficiently respected. The articles summarized results of previous European projects conducted in the Czech Republic in the area of potentially inappropriate prescribing in older patients. It refers to the most often used explicit criteria, supporting safety and efficacy of pharmacotherapy in older age and refers to importance of clinical-pharmacy services in primary and secondary care during the individualization of drug regimens. At the end of the article is introduced newly starting EUROAGEISM H2020 project (FIP7 program) supported by the European Commission for the period 2017-2021. The main aims of this project are to describe problematic features of geriatric prescribing in Central and Eastern Europe (in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Slovac Republic, Serbia, Croatia and Albania, comparatively to Western-European and Northern-European countries: Ireland, Portugal and Finland) and to support development of clinical-pharmacy services in different settings of care in Central and Eastern Europe. Key words: individualized drug therapy - clinical pharmacy in geriatrics - pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in the older age - rational geriatric pharmacotherapy.

Treatment of pain in European nursing homes: results from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm Care (SHELTER) study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management approaches and associated factors in nursing home residents across Europe. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: Cross-sectional study with 4156 residents who were assessed using the interRAI instrument for Long Term Care Facilities (interRAI LTCF), including pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain management modalities. Those reporting pain were included in the analyses (n = 1900). A deeper analysis was performed for the subsample of residents who reported "current pain," defined as pain at least 1 day within the past 3 days (n = 838), and those who reported "current pain of moderate to severe intensity" (n = 590). RESULTS: Up to 24% of residents who reported pain did not receive any pain medication and up to 11% received it only PRN (as-needed basis), independent of current pain-intensity levels; 61% did not receive any nonpharmacological treatment and 21% received neither pharmacological nor nonpharmacological pain modalities. Considerable differences could be demonstrated across European countries. Factors positively associated with pharmacological pain management were being of female gender, reporting cancer, and having moderate or severe pain. High turnover rates of regular staff and low-to-moderate physicians' availability were negatively associated. Factors positively associated with nonpharmacological treatment were fractures and need of assistance in activities of daily living. Dementia, large nursing home facilities, above-average and high turnover rates of nursing staff, a low physicians' availability, and severe pain intensity were negatively associated. CONCLUSION: Despite some advances in recent years, pain treatment in European nursing home residents remains to be suboptimal and requires further improvement.

Polypharmacy and mortality among nursing home residents with advanced cognitive impairment: results from the SHELTER study.

INTRODUCTION: Older adults with advanced cognitive impairment have a limited life expectancy and the use of multiple drugs is of questionable benefit in this population. The aim of the present study was to assess if, in a sample of nursing home (NH) residents with advanced cognitive impairment, the effect of polypharmacy on mortality differs depending on estimated life expectancy. METHODS: Data were from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) project, a study collecting information on residents admitted to 57 NHs in 8 European countries. Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of 10 or more drugs. Limited life expectancy was estimated based on an Advanced Dementia Prognostic Tool (ADEPT) score of 13.5 or more. A Cognitive Performance Scale score of 5 or more was used to define advanced cognitive impairment. Participants were followed for 1 year. RESULTS: Mean age of 822 residents with advanced cognitive impairment entering the study was 84.6 (SD 8.0) years, and 630 (86.6%) were women. Overall, 123 participants (15.0%) had an ADEPT score of 13.5 or more (indicating limited life expectancy) and 114 (13.9%) were on polypharmacy. Relative to residents with ADEPT score less than 13.5, those with ADEPT score of 13.5 or higher had a lower use of benzodiazepines, antidementia drugs, and statins but a higher use of beta-blockers, digoxin, and antibiotics. Polypharmacy was associated with increased mortality among residents with ADEPT score of 13.5 or more (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-4.17), but not among those with ADEPT score less than 13.5 (adjusted HR 1.10, 95% CI: 0.71-1.71). DISCUSSION: Polypharmacy is associated with increased mortality in NH residents with advanced cognitive impairment at the end of life. CONCLUSION: These findings underline the need to assess life expectancy in older adults to improve the prescribing process and to simplify drug regimens.

Pain characteristics and pain control in European nursing homes: cross-sectional and longitudinal results from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Few studies have compared cross-national characteristics of residents with pain in European long term care facilities. The SHELTER project, a cross-national European study on nursing home residents, provides the opportunity to examine this issue. The present study aimed to evaluate key figures about pain and compare them with seven European countries and Israel. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND MEASUREMENTS: A total of 3926 nursing home residents were assessed by the interRAI instrument for Long Term Care Facilities (interRAI LTCF). Prevalence of pain, frequency, intensity, consistency, and control were estimated and compared cross-nationally. Correlates between patient-related characteristics and inadequate pain management were tested using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Overall, 1900 (48.4%) residents suffered from pain. Pain prevalence varied significantly among countries, ranging from 19.8% in Israel to 73.0% in Finland. Pain was positively associated with female gender, fractures, falls, pressure ulcers, sleeping disorders, unstable health conditions, cancer, depression, and number of drugs. It was negatively associated with dementia. In a multivariate logistic regression model, all associations remained except for sleeping disorders. Clinical correlations varied considerably among countries. Although in 88.1% of cases, pain was self-rated by the residents as sufficiently controlled, in only 56.8% of cases was pain intensity self-rated as absent or mild. Pain control and intensity improved within 1 year. CONCLUSION: Pain prevalence is high and varies considerably across Europe. Although most residents considered pain as adequately controlled, a closer look confirmed that many still suffer from high pain intensities. Analyzing the reasons behind these differences may help to improve pain management.

Polypharmacy in nursing home residents with severe cognitive impairment: results from the SHELTER Study.

OBJECTIVE: Pharmacological treatment of older adults with cognitive impairment represents a challenge for prescribing physicians, and polypharmacy is common in these complex patients. The aim of the current study is to assess prevalence and factors related to polypharmacy in a sample of nursing home (nursing home) residents with advanced cognitive impairment. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1449 nursing home residents with advanced cognitive impairment participating to the Services and Health for Elderly in Long Term Care (SHELTER) project, a study collecting information on residents admitted to 57 nursing home in eight countries. Data were collected using the International Resident Assessment Instrument (InterRAI) for long-term care facilities. Polypharmacy status was categorized into three groups: nonpolypharmacy (zero to four drugs), polypharmacy (five to nine drugs), and excessive polypharmacy (≥10 drugs). RESULTS: Polypharmacy was observed in 735 residents (50.7%) and excessive polypharmacy was seen in 245 (16.9%). Compared with nonpolypharmacy, excessive polypharmacy was associated directly with ischemic heart disease (odds ratio [OR], 3.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.01-6.74), diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.66; 95% CI; 1.46-4.84), Parkinson's disease (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.36-5.85), gastrointestinal symptoms (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.43-3.39), pain (OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.99-4.89), dyspnea (OR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.31-5.07), and recent hospitalization (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.36-5.85). An inverse relation with excessive polypharmacy was shown for age (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.93), activities of daily living disability (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99) and presence of a geriatrician on the nursing home staff (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20-0.64). CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy are common among nursing home residents with advanced cognitive impairment. Determinants of polypharmacy status includes not only comorbidities, but also specific symptoms, age, and functional status. A geriatrician in the facility is associated with lower prevalence of excessive polypharmacy.

Polypharmacy in nursing home in Europe: results from the SHELTER study.

BACKGROUND: This study assesses prevalence and patients characteristics related to polypharmacy in a sample of nursing home residents. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis on 4,023 nursing home residents participating to the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) project, a study collecting information on residents admitted to 57 nursing home in 8 countries. Data were collected using the interRAI instrument for long-term care facilities. Polypharmacy status was categorized in 3 groups: non-polypharmacy (0-4 drugs), polypharmacy (5-9 drugs) and excessive polypharmacy (≥ 10 drugs). RESULTS: Polypharmacy was observed in 2,000 (49.7%) residents and excessive polypharmacy in 979 (24.3%) residents. As compared with non-polypharmacy, excessive polypharmacy was directly associated not only with presence of chronic diseases but also with depression (odds ratio [OR] 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38-2.37), pain (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.80-2.97), dyspnoea (OR 2.29; 95% CI 1.61-3.27), and gastrointestinal symptoms (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.35-2.21). An inverse association with excessive polypharmacy was shown for age (OR for 10 years increment 0.85; 95% CI 0.74-0.96), activities of daily living disability (OR for assistance required vs independent 0.90; 95% CI 0.64-1.26; OR for dependent vs independent 0.59; 95% CI 0.40-0.86), and cognitive impairment (OR for mild or moderate vs intact 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.88; OR for severe vs intact 0.39; 95% CI 0.26-0.57). CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy are common among nursing home residents in Europe. Determinants of polypharmacy status include not only comorbidity but also specific symptoms, age, functional, and cognitive status.

Medication errors in elderly people: contributing factors and future perspectives.

1. Older people have substantial interindividual variability in health, disability, age-related changes, polymorbidity, and associated polypharmacy, making generalization of prescribing recommendations difficult. 2. Medication use in older adults is often inappropriate and erroneous, partly because of the complexities of prescribing and partly because of many patient, provider, and health system factors that substantially influence the therapeutic value of medications in aged people. 3. A high prevalence of medication errors in older adults results on the one hand from accumulation of factors that contribute to medication errors in all age groups, such as polypharmacy, polymorbidity, enrollment in several disease-management programmes, and fragmentation of care. On the other hand, specific geriatric aspects play a role in these medication errors; these include age-related pharmacological changes, lack of specific evidence on the efficacy and safety of medications, underuse of comprehensive geriatric assessment, less availability of drug formulations offering geriatric doses, and inadequate harmonization of geriatric recommendations across Europe. 4. The dearth of geriatric clinical pharmacology and clinical pharmacy services compounds the difficulties. 5. There are gaps in research and clinical practice that lead to frequent medication errors in older adults, which must be solved by future studies and by regulatory measures in order to support errorless and appropriate use medications in these people.

Non malignant daily pain and risk of disability among older adults in home care in Europe.

Aim of the present observational study was to evaluate the association between daily pain and incident disability in elderly subjects living in the community. We used data from the AgeD in HOme Care (AD-HOC) project, a 1 year longitudinal study enrolling subjects aged 65 or older receiving home care in 11 European countries. Daily pain was defined as any type of pain or discomfort in any part of the body manifested every day in the seven days before the baseline assessment. Disability performing activities of daily living (ADLs) was defined as the need of assistance in 1 or more of the following ADL: eating, dressing, transferring, mobility in bed, personal hygiene and toileting. Mean age of 1520 subjects participating the study was 82.1 (standard deviation 6.9) years, and 1178 (77.5%) were women and 695 (45.7%) reported daily pain at the baseline assessment. Overall, 123/825 participants (19.0%) with daily pain and 132/695 (14.9%) without daily pain reported incident disability during the 1 year follow up of the study. After adjustment for potential confounders, participants with daily pain had a significantly higher risk of developing disability, compared with other participants (hazard ratio 1.36; 95% CI: 1.05-1.78). The risk of disability increased with pain severity and with number of painful sites. In conclusion among old subjects living in the community, daily pain is associated with an increased risk of disability.

Potentially inappropriate medication use among elderly home care patients in Europe.

CONTEXT: Criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use among elderly patients have been used in the past decade in large US epidemiological surveys to identify populations at risk and specifically target risk-management strategies. In contrast, in Europe little information is available about potentially inappropriate medication use and is based on small studies with uncertain generalizability. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and associated factors of potentially inappropriate medication use among elderly home care patients in European countries. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective cross-sectional study of 2707 elderly patients receiving home care (mean [SD] age, 82.2 [ 7.2] years) representatively enrolled in metropolitan areas of the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Patients were prospectively assessed between September 2001 and January 2002 using the Minimum Data Set in Home Care instrument. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use was documented using all expert panels criteria for community-living elderly persons (Beers and McLeod). Patient-related characteristics independently associated with inappropriate medication use were identified with a multiple logistic regression model. RESULTS: Combining all 3 sets of criteria, we found that 19.8% of patients in the total sample used at least 1 inappropriate medication; using older 1997 criteria it was 9.8% to 10.9%. Substantial differences were documented between Eastern Europe (41.1% in the Czech Republic) and Western Europe (mean 15.8%, ranging from 5.8% in Denmark to 26.5% in Italy). Potentially inappropriate medication use was associated with patient's poor economic situation (adjusted relative risk [RR], 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.36), polypharmacy (RR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.62- 2.22), anxiolytic drug use (RR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.51-2.15), and depression (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.06-1.55). Negatively associated factors were age 85 years and older (RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.92) and living alone (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64-0.89). The odds of potentially inappropriate medication use significantly increased with the number of associated factors (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Substantial differences in potentially inappropriate medication use exist between European countries and might be a consequence of different regulatory measures, clinical practices, or inequalities in socioeconomic background. Since financial resources and selected patient-related characteristics are associated with such prescribing, specific educational strategies and regulations should reflect these factors to improve prescribing quality in elderly individuals in Europe.