Sabrina W Pit1, Julie E Byles, Jill Cockburn. 1. School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Royal Newcastle Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. sabrina.pit@nwecastle.edu.au
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of risk factors for medication misadventures among older people in general practice. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: General practices, New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty general practitioners in 16 practices recruited 849 practice attendees aged 65 years and over. OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk factors for medication misadventures. RESULTS: Almost all participants (95%) had used at least one medication for more than 6 months. More than half of the participants had more than one doctor involved in their care (59%), had three or more health conditions (57%), or used five or more medicines (54%). With regard to potential adverse drug reactions, in the last month 39% of participants experienced difficulties sleeping, one-third felt drowsy or dizzy (34%), and about a quarter had a skin rash (28%), leaked urine (27%), had stomach problems (22%) or had been constipated (22%). The most common compliance problems were experiencing side effects (14%) and having difficulties opening bottles or packets/applying the medicine (10%). CONCLUSION: Risk factors for medication misadventure remain a substantial problem among older people. A Medication Risk Assessment Form completed by patients can be used as an aid to increase general practitioners' awareness of a variety of problem areas associated with medication use in a compact way, and could be used as part of a system for medication review to determine whether actions are required to improve quality use of medicines.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of risk factors for medication misadventures among older people in general practice. DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: General practices, New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty general practitioners in 16 practices recruited 849 practice attendees aged 65 years and over. OUTCOME MEASURE: Risk factors for medication misadventures. RESULTS: Almost all participants (95%) had used at least one medication for more than 6 months. More than half of the participants had more than one doctor involved in their care (59%), had three or more health conditions (57%), or used five or more medicines (54%). With regard to potential adverse drug reactions, in the last month 39% of participants experienced difficulties sleeping, one-third felt drowsy or dizzy (34%), and about a quarter had a skin rash (28%), leaked urine (27%), had stomach problems (22%) or had been constipated (22%). The most common compliance problems were experiencing side effects (14%) and having difficulties opening bottles or packets/applying the medicine (10%). CONCLUSION: Risk factors for medication misadventure remain a substantial problem among older people. A Medication Risk Assessment Form completed by patients can be used as an aid to increase general practitioners' awareness of a variety of problem areas associated with medication use in a compact way, and could be used as part of a system for medication review to determine whether actions are required to improve quality use of medicines.
Authors: Maarit S Dimitrow; Sanna I Mykkänen; Saija N S Leikola; Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä; Alan Lyles; Marja S A Airaksinen Journal: Eur J Clin Pharmacol Date: 2014-06-01 Impact factor: 2.953
Authors: Margie E Snyder; Karen S Pater; Caitlin K Frail; Karen Suchanek Hudmon; Brad N Doebbeling; Randall B Smith Journal: Res Social Adm Pharm Date: 2014-10-08
Authors: Megan E Passey; Jo M Longman; Jennifer J Johnston; Louisa Jorm; Dan Ewald; Geoff G Morgan; Margaret Rolfe; Bronwyn Chalker Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2015-11-23 Impact factor: 2.692