Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Chinese Older Outpatients
according to Beers Criteria: A Cross-sectional Study
Abstract
Objectives: Multimorbidity and polypharmacy in older adults always
increase the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs)
and affect the quality of life of the older adults. The purposes of this
study were aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIMs prescription and
the most frequent PIMs among outpatients according to Beers criteria and
to explore related risk factors for PIMs prescription. Methods: The
cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted among elderly
outpatients in Chengdu (a city in China) from January 2018 to December
2018. The 2015 Beers criteria was used to assess PIMs in elderly
outpatients. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression
analysis were adopted to determine the factors that may affect the
prevalence of PIMs in elderly outpatients. Results: A total of 15523
patient prescriptions were enrolled, of which 4654 (29.98%) were
identified with at least one PIM based on Beers criteria, and 6460 PIMs
were detected. Of these PIM prescriptions, 76.32% were detected to
receive 1 PIM, 16.54% were detected to receive 2 PIMs, and only 7.13%
were found to have at least 3 PIMs. Benzodiazepines (2371, 50.95%),
diuretics (1197, 25.72%), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(439, 9.43%) were three common types of drugs that were the most
frequent PIMs used. Sex, age, number of diseases, number of medications,
and diseases or disease states were risk factors for PIMs in
outpatients. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the
phenomenon of PIM was common among elderly outpatients in Chengdu. Risk
factors for PIM in elderly outpatients include gender, age, number of
diseases, number of medications, and sleep disorder.