The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications prescribed in elderly patients admitted in a tertiary teaching hospital: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The number of elderly people (aged 60 years or over) is expected to double in the next 35 years as a result of decreasing mortality and declining fertility worldwide. The elderly population is at increased risk of being prescribed potentially inappropriate medications (PIM). Objectives: To determine the prevalence of PIM prescribed among the geriatric patients admitted in a tertiary teaching hospital in Valenzuela City in 2014. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study on patients who are 65 years and older admitted under Internal Medicine between January 2014 to December 2014. Medical records were reviewed for PIM prescription according to the updated 2012 Beers Criteria. Results: PIMs were noted in 303 out of of 618 patients. The most common PIMs were insulin sliding scale, digoxin, orphenadrine, ipratropium, ketorolac, clonazepam, clonidine, hydroxyzine, amiodarone and spironolactone. Conclusion: The prevalence of PIM prescription is 49% among geriatric patients admitted in a tertiary teaching hospital in Valenzuela City in 2014. It is recommended to determine prevalence of PIM use in other geriatric care settings, the predictors for PIM use, and the economic burden of PIM use.