Prevalence and types of potentially inappropriate prescriptions among older and middle-aged community-dwelling Albanian patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIP) varies among community-dwelling patients and this difference partly depends on the methods used to evaluate improper use.

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence and type of PIP among community-dwelling elderly as well as among middle-aged people by applying three different explicit tools – Ghent Older People’s Prescriptions community Pharmacy Screening (GheOP³S) tool, The European Union Potentially Inappropriate Medications EU(7)-PIM list and PRescribing Optimally in Middle-aged People’s Treatments (PROMPT).

METHODS:

Cross-sectional study among community-dwelling patients in Tirana (Albania) from 1 March to 1 June 2018. Two community pharmacists reviewed the prescriptions independently. The PIP index and the mean number of PIP / patient was calculated.

RESULTS:

In total, 241 participants were included in the study. Among 142 elderly patients, 55.6 % and 54.2 % of them were prescribed at least one PIP, respectively according to the GheOP³S tool and the EU7 PIM list. After applying PROMPT criteria, we found at least one PIP in 33.3 % of the middle-aged patients. The most commonly represented PIP drugs groups were cardiovascular drugs among older people and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among middle-aged people. Reminding and proposing the patient to undergo yearly influenza vaccination was the most common potentially prescribing omission.

CONCLUSIONS:

Prevalence of PIP is higher in elderly patients and slightly different according to the tool used for detection. However, PIP are also common in the middle-aged population.