Which factors contribute to use of potentially inappropriate drugs in older adults?

Use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) is common among frail older adults, suggesting the need for improvement to increase pharmacotherapy safety in these individuals, reports a study.

This cross-sectional study was carried out in 332 older adults from a private health plan in Vitória-ES, Brazil. The investigators collected socioeconomic, demographic, and clinical data using a digital platform and a structure questionnaire through an interview from October 2018 to June 2019.

Univariate logistic regression was performed to confirm the association between the use of PIM and independent variables. On the other hand, the multiple model included variables with p≤0.20.

Of the participants (mean age 81.5 percent), 237 were female and 95 were male. The prevalence of PIM use stood at 65 percent.

In the multiple model, variables associated with PIM use were as follows: self-medication (p=0.004), high risk of clinical-functional vulnerability (p=0.022), use of psychotropic medications (p=0.000001), musculoskeletal medications (p=0.04), and alimentary tract medications (p=0.03).

In contrast, physical exercise appeared to provide protective benefits (p=0.02).

“The high prevalence of PIM use indicates the need for improvement in elderly private healthcare, to increase pharmacotherapy safety for this population,” the investigators said.

“The use of PIM by the elderly is commonly studied, but studies evaluating the use of PIM by frail elderly covered by prepaid health plans are still lacking,” they noted.