Health outcomes associated with potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use (PIMs) among community‐dwelling older adults and the association between PIMs and health care outcomes. Participants were 17,971 individuals age 65 years and older. PIM use was defined by the Beers criteria. Drug‐related problems (DRPs) were defined using ICD‐9 codes. Forty percent of the 17,971 individuals filled at least 1 PIM prescription, and 13% filled 2 or more PIM prescriptions. Overall DRP prevalence among those with at least 1 PIM prescription was 14.3% compared to 4.7% in the non‐PIM group (p < .001). In conclusion, preventing PIM use may be important for decreasing medication‐related problems, which are increasingly being recognized as requiring an integrated interdisciplinary approach. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 31:42–51, 2008