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PubMedDate not supplied

[A health study of older persons in Extremadura: drug taking and the most frequent chronic diseases].

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the use of drugs among the non-institutionalised elderly population, the factors related to polypharmacy and pinpointing the relationship thereof with chronic diseases. METHODS: Cross-sectional epidemiological study by means of door-to-door survey. The population systematically selected totalled 960 individuals age 65-93. The questionnaire included demographic data, self-assessed health condition, quantitative and qualitative aspects of the use of medications, chronic diseases and assessment of functional ability. RESULTS: 91.62% of those surveyed were taking medication, a greater number of females (p < 0.002) than males. The medications taken to the greatest extent were blood pressure drugs (42.4%), analgesics (38.7%) and heart drugs (24.8%). Drugs were used to a greater extent among the oldest age group (p < 0.0001), those having the lowest educational level (p < 0.001), those with impaired eyesight and hearing (p < 0001), those having the lowest social status (p < 001), more contacts with the health care services (p < 0001), worse self-assessed health condition (p < 0001), a greater number of chronic diseases (p < 0.0001) and depressive disorders (p = 0.004). The linear regression analysis revealed a positive relationship between the number of medications taken and the number of chronic diseases (r = 0.518; p < 0.0001). Females report worse health conditions (p < 0.05). The variables analyzed with regard to polypharmacy by means of logistic regression are age (over age 75; OR = 1.1478), three or more chronic diseases (OR = 1.83) and poor self-assessed health condition (OR = 1.22). CONCLUSIONS: Physical checkups on the elderly must include a review of the medications being taken, especially among those over age 75 who have a worse self-assessed health condition and a larger number of chronic diseases.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Pharmaco-epidemiological study on antipsychotic drug prescription in French Psychiatry: Patient characteristics, antipsychotic treatment, and care management for schizophrenia].

UNLABELLED: In 2000, a one week national survey was conducted among 202 psychiatrists (129 participants) in France, from hospitals and clinics, private or public. The first 20 inpatients and 10 outpatients prescribed at least one antipsychotic drug (age range 18-65), were included. The diagnostic procedure was standardized with a structured interview: the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). A total 2 068 patients were included, among whom 892 (43.1%) reached the criteria of schizophrenia according ICD-10. We present here data on these latter patients. Mean age was 38.8 years; with 38.8% females. Median duration of current antipsychotic treatment was 0.5 year in inpatients and 2 years in outpatients. Median duration of any antipsychotic treatment was 10 years, without difference between groups. Comorbid situations (anxiety disorder, depression and suicidal risk) were found in 33.1% of schizophrenic patients, with higher frequency among inpatients in private hospitals (54.8%) than in other groups. 46.8% patients were prescribed at least 2 neuroleptics, and 73.6% at least one non-neuroleptic drugs. Cyamemazine accounted for 16.6% of all neuroleptics drugs, and 56% of patients were prescribed an atypical antipsychotic (risperidone, olanzapine, amisulpride or clozapine). Atypical drugs accounted for 59.4% of patients who were prescribed only one neuroleptic drug. Inpatients had more neuroleptics coprescription than outpatients (mean 1.8 vs 1.4 drugs), with higher daily dose. In addition, inpatients had more other psychotropics prescribed (mean 1.5 vs 1.1 drugs). Overall, more other psychotropic drugs were prescribed among patients with -, than those without - comorbid situations (1.7 vs 1.2 drugs). Median time since admission, at the time of the study, were similar in private and public hospitals (107 vs 99 days) but maximal time since admission was respectively 2.8 and 48.9 years. Visit frequency for outpatients was more than one every two weeks for 43.1% in private and 24.7% in public clinics. Among inpatients only we found a difference between private and public hospitals for polypharmacy of non neuroleptics psychotropics, (mean 1.9 vs 1.5). In outpatients, long acting depot accounted for 26.6% of neuroleptics treatments in public clinics and 15.4% in private clinics. Finally, we found that polypharmacy among outpatients increased with duration of antipsychotic treatment. CONCLUSION: in France, important differences are reported in antipsychotic prescription for schizophrenia between in- and outpatients. Current antipsychotic prescription is more recent in inpatients than in outpatients, with similar duration of overall antipsychotic treatment. Inpatients have more drug prescription, antipsychotics and other psychotropics, than outpatients. Differences are less important between private and public providers. Inpatients in private hospitals receive more non neuroleptic drugs than in public hospitals, and depot antipsychotics are more used among patients of public clinics. Long term inpatients are found in public hospitals only. Outpatients follow up is more intensive in private than in public clinics.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Multiple medication use in the elderly. Use of prescription and non-prescription drugs in an Australian community setting.

OBJECTIVE: To document the extent of polypharmacy or multiple medication use in the elderly. DESIGN: Cross-sectional examination of an age cohort of a community. SETTING: Community-based study in Dubbo, NSW, in 1988-1989. SUBJECTS: All non-institutionalised residents aged 60 years and over, numbering 1237 men and 1568 women. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessment of use of prescription and non-prescription drugs, recent hospitalisation, years of education, psychosocial variables. RESULTS: 18% of men and 25% of women were currently using three or more classes of prescription drugs. The corresponding values for two or more classes of non-prescription drugs were 29% and 44%. Of those who were using multiple prescription drugs 56% of men and 76% of women were also using multiple non-prescription drugs. In a multiple logistic model, the following possible predictors of multiple drug use were included: hospitalisation in the last six months, age, sex, depression, life satisfaction and education. Multiple prescription drug use was significantly predicted by recent hospitalisation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.63-3.56), increasing age (e.g. 70-79 years versus 60-69 years; OR = 2.54; CI, 1.97-3.25), female sex (OR = 1.59; CI, 1.25-2.01) and increasing depression (e.g. highest tertile of depression scale versus lowest; OR = 2.52; CI, 1.84-3.42). Multiple non-prescription drug use was significantly predicted by female sex (OR = 2.38; CI, 1.95-2.92) and increasing depression (OR = 2.77; CI, 2.16-3.56). For prescription items, non-prescription items, and both categories in combination levels of use 20% above the population average have been documented. CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy in the elderly population appears to be predicted by recent hospitalisation, increasing age, female sex and increasing depression. There is potential for drug-drug interaction to occur, but the findings suggest target areas for preventive action.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

A comparison of prescribing practices between public and private sector physicians in Uganda.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies in the public sector in Uganda have demonstrated major prescribing problems due to polypharmacy and irrational use of antibiotics and injections. Little is known about prescribing in the private sector although there is little government regulation influencing practice in this sector. The introduction of policies such as the Uganda National Standard Treatment Guidelines (UNSTG) was expected to improve prescribing practices in the public and private sectors. This paper measures appropriateness of prescribing practices in the public and private sectors in Uganda for the treatment of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and malaria in adult patients. DESIGN AND SAMPLING: We combined a prospective survey of treatment for simulated patients presenting with symptoms of malaria and ARI in 119 randomly selected private clinics and a retrospective survey of 600 prescription records for malaria and ARI (300 for each condition) randomly selected from 10 public health units in the Kampala, Masaka, and Jinja urban areas. OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of drug appropriately prescribed in each condition, % injection prescription, percentage antibiotic prescription, average number of drugs per case, average standardized cost per prescription, distribution of types of drugs prescribed. RESULTS: The overall appropriateness of prescribing for ARI and malaria was poor in both public and private sectors. Treatment of malaria was significantly less appropriate in the public sector compared to the private sector (14% vs. 27%, p = 0.002), with injectable chloroquine much more commonly prescribed. Prescribing of antibiotics for ARI was nearly universal in both sectors, with some prescriptions containing up to three antibiotics; newer, more expensive antibiotics were more commonly prescribed in the private sector. Polypharmacy and unnecessary prescribing of vitamins were common in both conditions and both sectors. CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing for adult malaria and ARI by both private and public practitioners did not conform to the UNSTGs. Although practitioners were largely the same in both sectors, prescribing practices often differed dramatically. The extent of inappropriate prescribing in both sectors calls for in-depth investigation of the system factors and motivations that underlie problem practices, and the development of interventions that target these causative factors.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Neuropsychology and epilepsy].

AIMS: The epileptic child has three times more risk of presenting cognitive disorders than other children with no neurological pathology, in accordance with three essential facts: 1. The effect exerted by the actual epilepsy. 2. Any associated previously-existing neuropsychosocial deficits. 3. The side effects of the antiepileptic drug (AED). A certain amount of deterioration is universally accepted, without defining the factors involved in its production, but which are multifactorial according to computer studies. From this point of view, we analyse the relation between neuropsychology and epilepsy in Paediatrics. DEVELOPMENT: The relation between epilepsy and behaviour must be seen as an exception and not the rule, unless there are coexisting personality disorders and/or mental deficiency. The cognitive effects of AED depend on the drug, the doses used and on the polypharmacy, and these effects may be both adverse and beneficial. The differences from one drug to another are questionable due to the methodology used in the different studies and it should be remembered that with suitable doses the side effects are generally moderate, and AED monitoring is useful in this case. We recommend the use of MEDDRA assessment to obtain a more reliable definition of side effects, which in turn will allow them to be better evaluated. Scaling time in the introduction of the drug is important, especially with some of the new AED. The mechanisms governing the production of the side effects vary, but both the classical and the new ones, which are well used owing to the greater knowledge we have of their mechanism of action, improve cognitive functioning by controlling the seizures. In infancy, idiopathic cognitive reactions are produced. In childhood, the main disorders are a diminished reaction and information processing time with alterations affecting memory, attention and language. CONCLUSIONS: Epilepsy is associated to a number of different, generally mild, cognitive problems. The age of onset of epilepsy, type of syndrome, its aetiology, the response to treatment and polypharmacy are multifactorial elements conditioning side effects. There is a need for batteries of tests capable of forecasting the future and controlling the progression of cognition during therapy. It can be concluded that the side effects of AED affecting cognition and behaviour are generally mild, but the cognitive side effect of an AED can be important for a particular child.

Anticonvulsants↗

PubMed2006

[The neuropsychology of epilepsy: what factors are involved?].

INTRODUCTION: The epileptic child is three times more likely to have cognitive problems from other neurological pathologies, depending on three facts: the effect exerted by the epilepsy itself, any associated previously-existing neuropsychosocial deficits, and the side effects of the antiepileptic drug (AED). A certain degree of deterioration is universally accepted, although the factors involved in its production are not specified, but are generally accepted as being due to multiple causes. We analyse the relation between neuropsychology and epilepsy in neuropaediatrics. DEVELOPMENT: The relation between epilepsy and behaviour must be seen as the exception rather than the rule, unless there are co-existing personality disorders and/or mental deficiency. The cognitive effects of AED depend on the drug, on the dosages employed and the polypharmacy, and these effects can be both adverse and favourable. The differences observed between one drug and another are open to criticism, although monitored administration of suitable doses generally produces moderate adverse side effects, as evaluated using reliable appraisal methods (MIDDRA). Scaling time in the introduction of the drug is important, especially with some new AED. The mechanisms governing production vary, but an understanding of the mechanism of action improves cognitive functioning thanks to the control over the seizures. In infancy, idiopathic cognitive reactions are produced. The main disorders are a diminished reaction and information processing time with alterations affecting memory, attention and language. CONCLUSIONS: Epilepsy is associated to a number of different, generally moderate, cognitive problems. The age of onset, the type of syndrome, its aetiology, the response to treatment and polypharmacy are multifactorial elements conditioning the side effects. There is a need for batteries of tests capable of forecasting the future and controlling the progression of cognition during treatment. The side effects of AED affecting cognition and behaviour are generally moderate, but they may be important in the case of a particular child.

Anticonvulsants↗

PubMed1987

Sleep and waking disturbances in epilepsy.

We compared sleep parameters during three-hour postprandial nap recordings in 10 normal controls and 28 seizure patients. Patients had significantly less sleep, longer sleep latency, more wakefulness, less drowsiness and lighter nonREM sleep, and lower sleep efficiency than controls. Generalized seizure patients had longer sleep latency, more arousals, and more (but very little) stage III sleep. Those with partial seizures had more stage II sleep and greater sleep efficiency. Patients on polypharmacy and phenobarbital therapy slept more, phenytoin patients had very short sleep latency but more wakefulness and less sleep efficiency; those taking clonazepam were also awake more and had lower sleep efficiency, while arousals during sleep were more frequent in patients on valproate and carbamazepine. The findings suggest that disturbed sleep, possibly related to aberrant arousal occasioned by generalized epilepsy or epileptogenic foci, is common in seizure patients, and may be related to interictal behavioral and cognitive symptoms. Polypharmacy may have an additive effect on sleep to prolong and disrupt it, while sedative anti-epileptic drugs may increase sleep and other anti-epileptic medications may have alerting effects or interfere with falling asleep. Generalized and partial seizure patients may have sleep disturbances of a different character, possibly reflecting generally altered cerebral excitability by afferent stimuli in the former situation, and the more localized effects of limbic or cortical hyperactivity in the latter.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1987

Drug therapy in the elderly: special considerations.

The tendency toward polypharmacy in the elderly, combined with age-related physiologic changes, increases the risk for adverse effects resulting from the interference of one drug regimen with another. Altering drug dosages for concomitant drug regimens is important if the patient is to gain maximum benefit from the drugs with minimal adverse effects. Altered pharmacokinetics in the elderly, impaired drug response, and adverse effects of polypharmacy are each discussed with respect to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Epilepsy, anticonvulsant drugs and cognition.

The use of AEDs in the management of epilepsy requires an ongoing risk-benefit analysis that attempts to maximize seizure control while minimizing adverse cognitive side-effects. Although the effects of other factors on cognition are generally greater than AED effects in patients with epilepsy, the cognitive effects of AEDs are of special concern because they are iatrogenically induced. Baseline evaluation of mental functioning is essential and should be repeated whenever a change in cognitive performance is suspected. The cognitive effects of the major AEDs, including phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproate, appear modest when dosages are kept within standard therapeutic ranges and polypharmacy is avoided. Violation of these guidelines increases the risk of alterations in arousal, attention, memory and psychomotor functioning. In turn, dysfunction in these areas can contribute to deficits in higher cognitive processes. Evidence suggests that these primary and secondary deficits are relatively greater for benzodiazepines, bromide and phenobarbital. Initial studies involving the newer AEDs suggest that the cognitive profile of these drugs is favourable, but further research is required to determine their relative effects to each other and to the older AEDs. For some patients, optimal seizure management may require the use of polypharmacy or AED dosages that exceed the standard therapeutic range. In such cases, the physician should remain sensitive to the increased risk of cognitive side-effects. The impact of such effects will be greatest for those whose daily functioning requires sustained attention or psychomotor speed. Although the cognitive risks of AEDs appear rather modest for most adults, questions remain regarding the impact of AEDs on patients at extremes of age. Initial studies with children and older adults suggest that the effects of the major AEDs are comparable across the developmental lifespan. However, during the formative years of a child's intellectual development, close scrutiny should be paid to the possibility that subtle attentional or arousal deficits could contribute to cumulative deficits in learning or memory. Preliminary studies involving both animals and humans suggest that the impact of AEDs might be greatest during in utero exposure; however, additional research is required to fully delineate the long-term effects of AED exposure in this earliest period of neurodevelopment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Public sector primary care of diabetics--a record review of quality of care in Cape Town.

AIM: To evaluate the quality of health care received by diabetics. DESIGN: External audit by means of retrospective record review. SITE: Ambulatory outpatient diabetes clinics at community health centres in black areas of Cape Town. METHOD: A stratified random sample (520) of all patients who attended any of five health centres during 1991 was reviewed by a clinician who had been trained to do structured record reviews. RESULTS: The response rate was 73.1%. Of all patients reviewed 91% had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and the remainder insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; 65% were female and 35.8% were employed. Only 35% attended optimally. Fingerprick blood glucose values were recorded at 98.4% of visits, blood pressure was recorded at 74.1% of all visits and for 97.4% of patients; urine dipstick test results were recorded at 84.6% of visits and for over 99% of patients in 1991, and weight was recorded at 68.8% of visits. In contrast, fundoscopy was recorded for 6% of patients and examination of the feet was performed in 4.7% of patients. Fewer than half (48.9%) of visits resulted in any change in management. Polypharmacy is frequent, with an average of 2.3 non-hypoglycaemic drugs prescribed per visit. CONCLUSION: Attendance and examination for treatable complications are inadequate. Care is routinised and reactive and there is polypharmacy. RECOMMENDATIONS: Simple but appropriate protocols and matching in-service education are likely to improve the care of and health outcome for diabetics at these sites.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Reducing antihypertensive medication use in nursing home patients.

Of the 1.5 million nursing home residents, about 40% are aged 85 years or older, and a similar percentage have hypertension. The rates of incorrect diagnoses from the "white coat" effect and from errors in blood pressure evaluation are as frequent in older persons as in younger persons. The benefits of antihypertensive treatment and the risks of lowering blood pressures in the very old (> or = 85 years) are uncertain. Elderly patients experience adverse effects from drug treatment that are unique to their age group and that complicate management problems associated with polypharmacy and multiple comorbid conditions. Trials to withdraw or lower the dosage of antihypertensive medications have been successful in up to 40% of elderly persons when combined with salt restriction and weight loss, but such studies are lacking in nursing home patients. The management of hypertension should be reevaluated in nursing home patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Aging and pharmacology.

Research on aging and pharmacology in humans has been termed geriatric clinical pharmacology, which is an established subdiscipline within the broad field of clinical pharmacology. This article reviews information relevant to clinical cancer research and the care of older patients with cancer. Accordingly, the current state of knowledge on drug utilization, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, adverse drug events, drug interactions, polypharmacy, adherence to treatment, and clinical research considerations are reviewed. Although a review of the literature on aging and cancer chemotherapy is not included in this particular presentation, information is very sparse. Thus, there is significant potential for valuable contributions from clinical research through partnerships between geriatric clinical pharmacologists and medical oncologists.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Lack of adverse pharmacodynamic drug interactions with rivastigmine and twenty-two classes of medications.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is often associated with multiple comorbidities and subsequent polypharmacy. Treatment of AD with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors can carry a risk of drug interaction with multiple medications often prescribed for other co-existing illnesses. Rivastigmine is an AChE inhibitor that is enzymatically cleaved by AChE, minimally metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes, has low protein binding, has a short plasma half-life, and a relatively short duration of action. Such properties make it ideal for use in this patient population. A pharmacodynamic analysis of rivastigmine administered concomitantly with other medications (22 different therapeutic classes) did not reveal any significant pattern of increase in adverse events that would indicate a drug interaction. In summary, rivastigmine was well tolerated and safely administered to a population receiving multiple medications for 'real-world' comorbidities.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antipsychotic medication coprescribing in a large state hospital system.

PURPOSE: To systematically characterize antipsychotic medication coprescribing ('polypharmacy') in a large state hospital system. METHODS: All antipsychotic prescriptions written for all adult in-patients (N = 8212) in New York state-run civil facilities for the year 1999 were identified using the Integrated Research Database (IRDB) created by the Information Systems Division of the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research. Antipsychotics were considered to be intentionally coprescribed only when both were prescribed for an overlapping period of 28 days. RESULTS: Coprescribing of typical, atypical, and depot antipsychotics comprised 31% of antipsychotic prescribing episodes. Medications were usually coprescribed with medications from outside their own antipsychotic class. Patient factors, such as age, diagnosis, and history of prior hospitalization, affected coprescribing rates (p < 0.001 for all indicated variables). Atypical antipsychotic medications were less likely to be given with another antipsychotic than were oral or depot typical medications. CONCLUSIONS: Coprescribing of antipsychotic drugs is a common practice in the New York State hospital system. The analysis of large clinical databases can yield valuable information about the kinds of complex pharmacotherapy regimens actually utilized in the treatment of the most severely ill patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Pharmacotherapy of target symptoms in autistic spectrum disorders.

There are no aetiologically-based treatments available to cure autism. Though psychotropics have a role in the management of some symptoms of autism, clinical trial evidence for the use of psychotropics is in its infancy and needs close monitoring. About half of the subjects with high functioning pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) are currently reported to be on psychotropics (anti-depressants, stimulants and antipsychotics), with many of them being on anti-epileptic medication simultaneously. Despite this high level of psychotropic use, few studies exist investigating the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics or side-effect profiles in this population. Multiprofessional and parent partnership is essential in managing autism and psychopharmacology should be used in conjunction with environmental manipulation, educational modification and/or behavioral management strategies. A symptomatic approach to managing the difficult behaviours associated with autism is recommended. Some symptoms of autism may be medication responsive (hyperactivity, obsessions, rituals, inattention, tics, etc), while other symptoms may be responsive to behavioural interventions, but may require medication (aggression, anxiety, depression, impulsivity, sleep difficulties, etc), and symptoms which need specific skill remediation are usually non-responsive to medication (deficits in academic, social or sport domains). The new atypical antipsychotics (such as risperidone, olanzapine, amisulpiride, quetiapine) and SSRIs are increasingly being used in autism, with encouraging results, but a risk-benefit ratio of pharmacotherapy is essential with due weight being given to the side-effects of medication. Despite symptomatic improvement with medication, one should remain cautious about long-term use of psychotropics. It is also important to recognize that psychotropics can sometimes worsen behaviour, and can produce iatrogenic symptoms. Certain anti-epileptic medication and psychotropic drugs are metabolized by the same cytochrome P450 isoenzymes in the liver. In such circumstances, the addition of a psychotropic agent may drastically alter the levels of the anti-epileptic medication and vice versa. It is suggested that specialist clinics should be involved when one is considering complex medication regimes, experimental drugs, polypharmacy, or if patients show unusual side-effects or is drug resistant.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

[Important aspects of geriatric pharmacotherapy].

Drug prescription for geriatric patients is one of the most prevalent yet also one of the most difficult interventions in geriatrics. Although this article focuses solely on specific important aspects of geriatric pharmacotherapy, medication in clinical practice is only one type of geriatric intervention that needs to be embedded in a well-coordinated bundle of multidimensional interventions addressing functional and psychosocial aspects alike. Not every older patient is per se a geriatric patient, nor is each geriatric patient per se of very old age. Therefore, this article initially proposes a clinical definition of the geriatric patient before summarizing the most significant physiological age changes affecting pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics as well as summarizing the most prevalent risks associated with the age-correlated increase in multiple drug use in order to describe the background from which general principles of geriatric pharmacotherapy have evolved. The quality of geriatric pharmacotherapy must not only be determined by avoidance of any kind of over medication, but also by the avoidance of under medication as well as the avoidance of inappropriate drugs for elderly patients. Treatment failures do not only result from mere polypharmacy, but can also be due to under utilization of drugs as well as due to the prescription of inappropriate medications. In fact, the problem of under medication in certain age-correlated diseases (e. g. depression, dementia, pain) has rarely been addressed systematically in clinical or epidemiological studies until now. In order to improve quality and safety of geriatric pharmacotherapy, a group of experts in the field developed a set of explicit age-adjusted criteria for potentially inappropriate drugs in 1991. These criteria have been regularly updated thereafter until 2003 and focus on age-related aspects of specific drugs and dosages as well as on co-morbid states and co-medications. As long as geriatric patients are rarely included in clinical trials on drug effectiveness and drug safety, these criteria should be applied and used in clinical practice at least to identify any demand for a detailed explicit justification of a therapeutic decision not in line with the explicit criteria in order to enhance safety of drug treatment in geriatric patients.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2006

Older patients presenting to a county hospital ED after a fall: missed opportunities for prevention.

Little is known about the characteristics of elderly persons who present to an ED after a fall or about the nature of the care received for the fall itself. We identified elders presenting to a large urban United States ED after a fall, determined risk factors that may have contributed to the fall, and assessed the extent to which falls were addressed in the ED setting. One hundred seventeen fallers were identified. Nearly half were aged 80 years or older. After age, polypharmacy was the most common fall risk factor, followed by more than 1 contributing medical condition and cognitive impairment. Fall risk factors differed significantly for older compared with younger subgroups. More than half (57%) who had fallen were admitted. Of the remainder who fell and were discharged, more than half were scheduled for follow-up of their fall-related injury only, with no follow-up scheduled to address prevention of future falls. In summary, elders who present to an ED after having fallen have a variety of risk factors for falls that can be addressed to reduce their risk of future falls and injury; however, many may not receive such follow-up care. There must be increased awareness among ED providers of the need for a medical evaluation of a fall. Randomized trials evaluating the effect of a focused fall risk factor assessment after presentation to the ED may be warranted.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2004

Complexity in caring for an ageing heart failure population: concomitant chronic conditions and age related impairments.

The complexity of caring for the ageing heart failure (HF) population is further complicated by concomitant chronic conditions (i.e., polypharmacy, depression), age related impairments (i.e., hearing, visual and cognitive impairments, impairments in activities of daily living (ADL/IADL), and other issues (e.g., health illiteracy, lack of social support). This paper provides an overview of these risk factors, outlines how they individually and in interplay endanger favourable outcome by putting patients at risk for poor self-management. Moreover, suggestions are made on how these issues could be addressed and integrated in heart failure management by applying gerontological care principles in caring for the ageing heart failure population.

Activities of Daily Living↗