Geriatrics & gerontology international
-
Geriatr Gerontol Int · Sep 2016
ReviewAlgorithm of medication review in frail older people: Focus on minimizing the use of high-risk medications.
Frail older people typically suffer several chronic diseases, receive multiple medications and are more likely to be institutionalized in residential aged care facilities. In such patients, optimizing prescribing and avoiding use of high-risk medications might prevent adverse events. The present study aimed to develop a pragmatic, easily applied algorithm for medication review to help clinicians identify and discontinue potentially inappropriate high-risk medications. ⋯ The algorithm captures a range of different clinical scenarios in relation to potentially inappropriate medications, and offers an evidence-based approach to identifying and, if appropriate, discontinuing such medications. Studies are required to evaluate algorithm effects on prescribing decisions and patient outcomes. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1002-1013.