Praktické lekárnictvo 2/2021

Polypharmacotherapy and potentially inappropriate drug use in elderly patients

The aging process of the organism is often accompanied by the presence of several diseases, i.e., multimorbidity, as a result of which elderly patients take large amounts of drugs. However, polypharmacotherapy entail a higher risk of prescribing drugs that are potentially inappropriate for the elderly. The aim of our research was to find out how pharmacists perceive the issue of polypharmacotherapy and potentially inappropriate drug use in elderly patients. Their attitude to this topic was expressed by the way of an e-survey questionnaire, in which 134 pharmacists were anonymously involved during the period from August 2019 to January 2020. We found that the pharmacists come into daily contact with elderly patients, who take 5 or more drugs, and potentially inappropriate drug prescribing is not uncommon at all. Although the pharmacists are aware of the risks of such treatment, they still respect the prescription of the doctor and dispense such drugs to patients. Subsequently, the elderly have a discussion on side effects in the pharmacy, mostly about gastrointestinal discomfort, and such concerns about side effects are a significant cause of patient non-compliance with treatment. According to the pharmacists, patient adherence to polypharmacotherapy would increase if elderly people took fewer drugs and were sufficiently informed about their diseases and the importance of their treatment. Based on the results obtained, we can say that the issue of polypharmacotherapy and potentially inappropriate drug use in elderly patients is nowadays very topical. Therefore, it deserves due attention as well as an increase in the involvement of pharmacists – drug information specialists- in optimising the treatment of elderly patients.

Keywords: The aging process of the organism is often accompanied by the presence of several diseases, i.e., multimorbidity, as a result of which elderly patients take large amounts of drugs. However, polypharmacotherapy entail a higher risk of prescribing drugs that are potentially inappropriate for the elderly. The aim of our research was to find out how pharmacists perceive the issue of polypharmacotherapy and potentially inappropriate drug use in elderly patients. Their attitude to this topic was expressed by the way of an e-survey questionnaire, in which 134 pharmacists were anonymously involved during the period from August 2019 to January 2020. We found that the pharmacists come into daily contact with elderly patients, who take 5 or more drugs, and potentially inappropriate drug prescribing is not uncommon at all. Although the pharmacists are aware of the risks of such treatment, they still respect the prescription of the doctor and dispense such drugs to patients. Subsequently, the elderly have a discussion on side effects in the pharmacy, mostly about gastrointestinal discomfort, and such concerns about side effects are a significant cause of patient non-compliance with treatment. According to the pharmacists, patient adherence to polypharmacotherapy would increase if elderly people took fewer drugs and were sufficiently informed about their diseases and the importance of their treatment. Based on the results obtained, we can say that the issue of polypharmacotherapy and potentially inappropriate drug use in elderly patients is nowadays very topical. Therefore, it deserves due attention as well as an increase in the involvement of pharmacists – drug information specialists- in optimising the treatment of elderly patients.