Study Looks at Prescriptions for Elderly
Posted on: Friday, 7 January 2005, 18:00 CST
A study finds that Georgia doctors alerted to possibly inappropriate medications given elderly patients were unlikely to discontinue them.
Researchers at Penn State University say that physicians need to constantly evaluate their prescriptions for elderly patients because aging tends to change the way drugs build up and are eliminated from the body. They should also be aware of everything an older patient is taking, including over-the-counter drugs.
The team studied primary care physicians in Georgia's senior plans, sending all the doctors a packet on prescribing for the elderly. Half were sent a follow-up packet that included a list of patients taking possibly inappropriate medications.
The team found that 70 percent of the group had prescribed drugs that might cause problems, and 71 percent of them responded to a survey. While 78.4 percent said they reassessed those patients, only 12.5 percent discontinued the problematic medication, 1.7 percent reduced the dose and 1.2 percent switched to an alternative.
Some drugs are fine at 55 but not OK at 75, said Donna Fick, a nursing professor involved in the study. However, sometimes doctors have tried everything else and this drug with negative implications for the elderly is the only one that works. It is a complicated issue that requires all health professionals to communicate better and work together.
The group reported its findings in a recent issue of the American Journal of Managed Care.
Source: United Press International
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