Inappropriate Medications in Older Adults at Discharge

A large cohort study shows that inappropriate prescribing is common and is associated with adverse events.

Older adults frequently are discharged with substantially different medication regimens than they had at admission. Some discharge regimens might include potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), defined as those that confer higher risk for harm than for benefit (identified using the American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria, STOPP [Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions], and Choosing Wisely statements).

In this prospective cohort study, researchers followed 2400 older medical and surgical patients (age, ≥65) who were discharged during a 2-year period from two Canadian tertiary care hospitals. One third of patients were prescribed at least one new PIM at discharge; the most common newly prescribed PIMs were benzodiazepines in p…

Reviewing Author

Andrew S. Parsons, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNEJM Healer Advisory Group; Aquifer Clinical Excellence; NBME Clinical Reasoning

Grant/Research SupportSouthern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA)

Editorial BoardsDiagnosis

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesUndergraduate Medical Education (UME) Section Chair, Southern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA); Chair of Early Career Physicians, American College of Physicians (ACP), Virginia Chapter

Andrew S. Parsons, MD, MPH

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNEJM Healer Advisory Group; Aquifer Clinical Excellence; NBME Clinical Reasoning

Grant/Research SupportSouthern Group on Educational Affairs (SGEA)

Editorial BoardsDiagnosis

Inappropriate Medications in Older Adults at Discharge

Topics

Reviewing Author