Seniors Often Receive Too Many and Inappropriate Medication Combinations
More than 50% of individuals over 65 take five or more medications daily. Particularly alarming is that many of these patients are prescribed medications that may be unsuitable for them. This is confirmed by a study conducted by Marion Bennie, a Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, along with her colleagues, published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
In 2018, more than 1.5 million patient records of individuals over 65 years were analyzed in six European countries to examine the extent of polypharmacy and the quality of medication prescriptions. The focus was particularly on the burden of potentially inappropriate medication combinations. The study concentrated on drugs such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), benzodiazepines, opioids, and antipsychotics. The findings were published in May 2024.
The Results Are Alarming
In Germany, more than half of seniors aged 65 and over are affected by polypharmacy. Furthermore, a comparison between countries reveals that Germany has the highest percentage, at 28.5%, of seniors who take ten or more medications.
According to the study, 42.3% of polypharmacy patients in Germany received proton pump inhibitors, 5.6% benzodiazepines, 15.3% opioids, and 4.5% antipsychotics—medications known to be associated with a particularly high number of adverse drug reactions. While these medications are essential in pharmacotherapy, there is a clear need to regularly review medication safety.
Patients who suffer from diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases alongside their primary condition are particularly vulnerable within the studied patient group.
The prescription of potentially inappropriate medications and the high number of prescribed drugs increase the risk of adverse drug interactions and tend to impair the patients’ quality of life.
Our PGXperts Solutions – How PGXperts Supports Physicians in Reviewing Drug Therapy Safety!
At PGXperts, we offer innovative solutions to assist healthcare professionals in reviewing drug therapy safety while considering pharmacogenetics. Through the analysis of genetic factors, potentially dangerous drug interactions can be identified and medication selection and dosing tailored to individual patients.
In this way, we are making an important contribution to patient safety.
Discover how PGXperts PRiM supports physicians in hospitals in reviewing complex medication scenarios:
Find out more about the study here.