The Risk of Drug Interactions in Older Primary Care Patients after Hospital Discharge : The Role of Drug Reconciliation

INTRODUCTION: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) represent an important clinical problem, particularly in older patients, due to polytherapy, comorbidity, and physiological changes in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic pathways. In this study, we investigated the association between drugs prescribed after discharge from the hospital or clinic and the risk of DDIs with drugs used daily by each patient.

METHODS: We performed an observational, retrospective, multicenter study on the medical records of outpatients referred to general practitioners. DDIs were measured using the drug interaction probability scale. Potential drug interactions were evaluated by clinical pharmacologists (physicians) and neurologists. Collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

RESULTS: During the study, we evaluated 1772 medical records. We recorded the development of DDIs in 10.3% of patients; 11.6% of these patients required hospitalization. Logistic regression showed an association among DDIs, sex, and the number of drugs used (p = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS: This observational real-life study shows that the risk of DDIs is common in older patients. Physicians must pay more attention after hospital discharge, evaluating the treatment to reduce the risk of DDIs.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:8

Enthalten in:

Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) - 8(2023), 6 vom: 16. Dez.

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Vocca, Cristina [VerfasserIn]
Siniscalchi, Antonio [VerfasserIn]
Rania, Vincenzo [VerfasserIn]
Galati, Cecilia [VerfasserIn]
Marcianò, Gianmarco [VerfasserIn]
Palleria, Caterina [VerfasserIn]
Catarisano, Luca [VerfasserIn]
Gareri, Ilaria [VerfasserIn]
Leuzzi, Marco [VerfasserIn]
Muraca, Lucia [VerfasserIn]
Citraro, Rita [VerfasserIn]
Nanci, Giacinto [VerfasserIn]
Scuteri, Antonio [VerfasserIn]
Bianco, Rosa Candida [VerfasserIn]
Fera, Iolanda [VerfasserIn]
Greco, Antonietta [VerfasserIn]
Leuzzi, Giacomo [VerfasserIn]
De Sarro, Giovambattista [VerfasserIn]
D'Agostino, Bruno [VerfasserIn]
Gallelli, Luca [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Deprescription
Journal Article
Older adult
Polytherapy
Reconciliation

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 24.12.2023

published: Electronic

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.3390/geriatrics8060122

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM366231510