Document type
ArticleVersion
Published versionPublication date
Publication license
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/176033
Medication-Related Problems in Older People with Multimorbidity in Catalonia: A Real-World Data Study with 5 Years’ Follow-Up
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Related resource
Abstract
Aging, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy are associated with medication-related problems (MRPs). This study aimed to assess the association that multimorbidity and mortality have with MRPs in older people over time. We followed multimorbid, older (65-99 years) people in Catalonia from 2012 to 2016, using longitudinal data and Cox models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR). We reviewed electronic health records to collect explanatory variables and MRPs (duplicate therapy, drug-drug interactions, potentially inappropriate medications (PIM), and contraindicated drugs in chronic kidney disease (CKD) or liver disease). There were 723,016 people (median age: 74 years; 58.9% women) who completed follow-up. We observed a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the proportion with at least one MRP (2012: 66.9% to 2016: 75.5%); contraindicated drugs in CKD (11.1 to 18.5%) and liver disease (3.9 to 5.3%); and PIMs (62.5 to 71.1%), especially drugs increasing fall risk (67.5%). People with ≥10 diseases had more MRPs (in 2016: PIMs, 89.6%; contraindicated drugs in CKD, 34.4%; and in liver disease, 9.3%). All MRPs were independently associated with mortality, from duplicate therapy (HR 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.08) to interactions (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.54-1.66). Ensuring safe pharmacological treatment in elderly, multimorbid patient remains a challenge for healthcare systems.
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
TRONCOSO MARIÑO, Amelia, et al. Medication-Related Problems in Older People with Multimorbidity in Catalonia: A Real-World Data Study with 5 Years’ Follow-Up. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021. Vol. 10, num. 4. [consulted: 10 of June of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/176033