Older adult females hospitalized with cardiovascular disease outweigh
male older adults in receiving Potentially Inappropriate Medication
Abstract
Introduction: There are a lack of potentially inappropriate medications
(PIMs) predictors among the geriatric population with cardiovascular
disease (CVD). Objective: This study was focussed on finding out the
predictors and prevalence of PIMs use in the older adult patients
hospitalized with cardiovascular disease. Methods: This prospective
cross-sectional study included 250 older adult patients (mean age 69.03±
5.76 years) with the CVD having age 65 years or more, admitted in the
cardiology/medicine department of a tertiary care hospital. PIMs were
identified as per Beers criteria 2019. Binary Logistic regression
analysis was used to determine the predictors of PIMs use in older adult
patients. Results: Results indicate a very high PIM prescription rate of
more than 62.4% (n= 156) with Proton pump inhibitor, short acting
insulin according to sliding scale, Enoxaparin <30ml/min as
the most commonly prescribed PIMs. On Binary logistic regression,
important predictors for PIMs use were found to be females (odds ratio
[OR] 2.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36- 4.09, P= 0.002),
three diagnosis (OR 4.29, 95% CI 1.31- 14.0, P= 0.016), ≥4 diagnosis
(OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.49- 15.44, P= 0.009), 7-9 days of hospital stay (OR
4.74, 95% CI 1.07- 20.96, P= 0.04), ≥ 9 medications per day (OR 0.09,
95% CI 0.01- 0.50, P= 0.006). Conclusion: The prevalence of PIMs in
older adults with cardiovascular disease is very high, and females with
CVD have emerged as a potential PIM indicator. The study also indicates
a lack of awareness towards Beer criteria in health care workers
(physicians/pharmacists/nursing staff) leading to PIM.