The primary assessment of prescribing drugs for the elderly people conducted by pharmacists

Authors

  • T. Schiopu Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova, Moldova, Republic of
  • M. Brumărel Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova., Moldova, Republic of
  • S. Adauji Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova, Moldova, Republic of

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24959/sphhcj.16.51

Keywords:

pharmacists, pharmaceutical care, elderly people, pharmaceutical therapy, expected therapeutical results

Abstract

In conditions of the fast growing number of older population the problem of pharmaceutical care for this category of people is more often tackled by international bodies. The most important problem in this area is that the impact of drugs on the elderly people has been insufficiently studied and is not properly interpreted. Aging brings increase in the use of drugs together with the growth in frequency of side effects to a medication, drug-drug interactions, interactions between drugs and the disease and other problemsrelated to the drug use. There is no statistical evidence in the Republic of Moldova related to the health state of people above 65, as well as there is no data about their access to healthcare and pharmacy services. In this context, the studies in geriatric pharmacy are of great current interest and practically significant. The study material was prescriptions collected from public pharmacies within 5 months. In the study 1339 prescriptions were analyzed. The data collected were age, gender, dates of drug prescribing and its dispensing, the amount of the drug dispensed to one patient, the active substance and its dose. Based on the data analyzed the current issues associated with drug therapy, dosing, drug-drug interactions, and side effects have been determined; the practical recommendations for pharmacists related to the treatment advice given to this group of patients, including the volume and quality of the information about the medication dispensed, have been proposed.

References

Nobili A. Multiple diseases and polypharmacy in the elderly: challenges for the internist of the third millennium/ A. Nobili, S. Garattini, P. Mannuccio Mannucci // Journal of Comorbidity. – 2011. – Vol. 1. – P. 28–44.

American Geriatrics Society 2012 Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel. American Geriatrics Society updated Beers Criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults // J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. – 2012. – Vol. 60 (4). – P. 616–631.

Explicit criteria for determining inappropriate medication use in nursing home residents. UCLA Division of Geriatric Medicine / M. H. Beers, J. G. Ouslander, I. Rollingher, D. Reuben, J. Brooks, J. C. Beck // Arch. Intern. Med. – 1991. – Vol. 151. – P. 1825–32.

Primejdie D. Potential inappropriate medication use in community – dwelling elderly patients. A qualitative study / D. Primejdie, M. Bojiţă, A. Popa // FARMACIA. – 2012. – Vol. 60. – P. 3.

Updating the Beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults: results of a US consensus panel of experts / D. M. Fick, J. W. Cooper, W. E. Wade, J. L. Waller, J. R. Maclean, M. H. Beers // Arch. Intern. Med. – 2003. – Vol. 163. – P. 2716–2724. (Published correction appears in Arch Intern Med. – 2004. – Vol. 164. – P. 298t.)

Optimizing pharmacotherapy in elderly patients: the role of pharmacists / J. K. Lee, S. Alshehri, H. I. Kutbi, J. R. Martin // Integrated Pharmacy Research and Practice. – 2015. – Vol. 4. – P. 101-111.

Nyborg G. Inappropriate prescribing for the elderly – a modern epidemic? / G. Nyborg, J. Straand, M. Brekke // Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. – 2012. – Vol. 68 (7). – P. 1085-1094.

Impact of pharmacist care in the management of cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials / V. Santschi, A. Chiolero, B. Burnand, A. L. Colosimo, G. Paradis // Arch. Intern. Med. – 2011. – Vol. 171 (16). – P. 1441–1453.

Walsh E. K. “Take ten minutes”: a dedicated ten minute medication review reduces polypharmacy in the elderly / E. K. Walsh, K. Cussen // Ir. Med. J. – 2010. – Vol. 103 (8). – P. 236–238.

Downloads

Published

2016-09-02

Issue

Section

Social medicine and pharmacy: past, present and development prospects