Previous systematic reviews suggest that deprescribing may improve survival, particularly in frail older people. Evidence is rapidly accumulating, suggesting a need for an updated review of the literature. Open access article - no login required
The aims of this study were to measure the prevalence of polypharmacy and describe the prescribing of selected medications known for overuse in older people with polypharmacy in primary care. Open access article - no login required.
Community pharmacists’ knowledge deficits about frailty must be addressed and their communication skills enhanced so they may confidently initiate conversations about frailty and medicines use with older adults.
Open access article - no login required
In this narrative review we describe innovative methods in pharmacovigilance studies of medicines in older people that leverage the increasing availability of digital health technologies, electronic health records and real-world health data to identify and quantify medication related harms in older people. Open access article - no login required.
Our study investigated the association between patients’ willingness to have medications deprescribed and medication adherence. This longitudinal sub-study took place in Swiss primary care settings. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
Why you should read this article:
To recognise how comorbidities in older people, including frailty, increase the risk of polypharmacy.
To increase your awareness of the burden of polypharmacy for patients and healthcare services.
To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
Deprescribing aims to address the problem of medication overuse in older adults. We aimed to describe the categories of trials included in recent systematic reviews, and to make recommendations for future research. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
Results of this study suggest that people aged≥85 living at home with disability, visual and/or cognitive impairment will have difficulty taking their medications, regardless of how many they are prescribed. Therefore, healthcare professionals should routinely ask about, assess and address problems that these patient groups may have with taking their medicines, independent of the number of drugs taken. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
This study aimed to investigate the associations between inappropriate prescribing and number of medications identified at discharge from geriatric rehabilitation with subsequent post-discharge health outcomes. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
To provide post-hoc analyses of a clinical trial that reported beneficial effects of medication reviews on health-related quality of life. Specifically, to describe the medication changes with a focus on deprescribing, and to explore patient- and medication-related factors that may identify patients most likely to benefit from medication reviews. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
The aim of this study is 1) to identify older patients’ risk factors for drug-related readmissions and 2) to assess the preventability of older patients’ drug-related revisits. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
The objective of the present study is to measure the impact of the intervention of combining a medication review with an integrated care approach on potentially inappropriate medications and hospital readmissions in frail older adults. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
This study aimed to examine gabapentin utilization trends among older adults with different cognitive statuses and investigate concurrent medication use of potentially inappropriate medications. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
Older adults are particularly affected by medication-related harm (MRH) during transitions of care. The PRIME study (prospective study to develop a model to stratify the risk of MRH in hospitalized patients) developed and internally validated a risk-prediction tool (RPT) that provides a percentage score of MRH in adults over 65 in the eight-weeks following hospital discharge. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
While certain drug-use indicators are known to be associated with clinical outcomes, the relationship is unclear for some highly-prevalent conditions in in patients ≥65 years of age. We examine correlations between three drug-use indicators and post-discharge healthcare services use by older patients according to the presence of dementia, advanced age, and frailty. To read the full article, choose Open Athens “Institutional Login” and search for “Midlands Partnership”.
To describe paracetamol dosing and liver function test (LFT) monitoring in older hospital inpatients who are frail or have low body weight. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Why you should read this article:
To identify medicines that can precipitate or cause falls, as well as those that can increase the risk of fall-related injuries
To understand the importance of including medication reviews as part of falls prevention strategies
To consider actions you could take in your practice to prevent medicines-related falls in older people
To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
In this study, we aimed to investigate the acute pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of a single dose administration of galantamine on CNS functioning in mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease patients and its potential to predict long-term treatment response. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
To evaluate the effects of once‐daily valbenazine (40 or 80 mg/day) in older and younger adults with tardive dyskinesia (TD).. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Free access. The aim of this double‐blinded randomised placebo‐controlled trial was to investigate the efficacy of clonidine for delirium in medical inpatients greater than 65 years.