PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 427 - 30 Aug 2003

■ Potentially inappropriate medications arecommonly prescribed for elderly patients inresidential-care facilities, say US-based researchers.Their cohort study, conducted in residential-carefacilities in the Puget Sound region of WashingtonState, US, used data for 282 patients aged ≥ 65 yearsto assess the appropriateness of medication use. Thestudy revealed that 22% of residents received at leastone potentially inappropriate medication,* mostcommonly tricyclic antidepressants such asamitriptyline (3.5%) and doxepin (2.5%),antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (2.9%),urinary antispasmodics such as oxybutynin (3.5%) andlong-acting benzodiazepines such as clonazepam(1.8%). During the 1-year follow-up, the incidence ofnew use of potentially inappropriate medications was0.1 per 100 person-days.* based on 1997 Beers criteria

Gray SL, et al. Potentially inappropriate medication use in communityresidential care facilities. Annals of Pharmacotherapy 37: 988-993, No. 7-8,Jul-Aug 2003 800950997

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 30 Aug 2003 No. 4271173-5503/10/0427-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved