Use of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements among older adults in the United States

Micronutrient intake in advanced age: Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Tapuwae Kia ora Tonu, Life and Living in Advanced Age: A Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ)

A high prevalence of undernutrition has previously been reported in indigenous Māori (49 %) and non-Māori (38 %) octogenarians and may be associated with risk of micronutrient deficiencies. We examined vitamin and mineral intakes and the contributing food sources among 216 Māori and 362 non-Māori participating in Life and Living to Advanced age a Cohort Study in New Zealand, using a repeat 24-h multiple-pass recall. More than half of the Māori and non-Māori participants had intakes below the estimated average requirement from food alone for Ca, Mg and Se. Vitamin B6 (Māori women only), folate (women only), vitamin E (Māori women; all men) and Zn (men only) were low in these ethnic and sex subgroups. Women had intakes of higher nutrient density in folate, vitamin C, Ca, Mg, K, vitamin A (non-Māori) and β-carotene (Māori) compared with men (P<0·05). When controlling for age and physical function, β-carotene, folate, vitamin C, Ca and Mg were no longer significantly different, but vitamins B2, B12, E and D, Fe, Na, Se and Zn became significantly different for Māori between men and women. When controlling for age and physical function, vitamins A and C and Ca were no longer significantly different, but vitamin B2, Fe, Na and Zn became significantly different for non-Māori between men and women. For those who took nutritional supplements, Māori were less likely to be deficient in food alone intake of vitamin A, folate and Mg, whereas non-Maori were less likely to be deficient in intakes of Mg, K and Zn, but more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 intake. A lack of harmonisation in nutrient recommendations hinders the interpretation of nutrient adequacy; nonetheless, Ca, Mg and Se are key micronutrients of concern. Milk and cheese were important contributions to Ca intake, whereas bread was a key source of Mg and Se. Examination of dietary intake related to biochemical status and health outcomes will establish the utility of these observations.

Polypharmacy and specific comorbidities in university primary care settings

AIMS

Polypharmacy is associated with adverse events and multimorbidity, but data are limited on its association with specific comorbidities in primary care settings. We measured the prevalence of polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing, and assessed the association of polypharmacy with specific comorbidities.

METHODS

We did a cross-sectional analysis of 1002 patients aged 50-80years followed in Swiss university primary care settings. We defined polypharmacy as ≥5 long-term prescribed drugs and multimorbidity as ≥2 comorbidities. We used logistic mixed-effects regression to assess the association of polypharmacy with the number of comorbidities, multimorbidity, specific sets of comorbidities, potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and potential prescribing omission (PPO). We used multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression to assess the association of the number of drugs with the same parameters.

RESULTS

Patients (mean age 63.5years, 67.5% ≥2 comorbidities, 37.0% ≥5 drugs) had a mean of 3.9 (range 0-17) drugs. Age, BMI, multimorbidity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular diseases were independently associated with polypharmacy. The association was particularly strong for hypertension (OR 8.49, 95%CI 5.25-13.73), multimorbidity (OR 6.14, 95%CI 4.16-9.08), and oldest age (75-80years: OR 4.73, 95%CI 2.46-9.10 vs.50-54years). The prevalence of PPO was 32.2% and PIP was more frequent among participants with polypharmacy (9.3% vs. 3.2%, p<0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Polypharmacy is common in university primary care settings, is strongly associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases, and increases potentially inappropriate prescribing. Multimorbid patients should be included in further trials for developing adapted guidelines and avoiding inappropriate prescribing.

Differences in Toxicological and Pharmacological Responses Mediated by Polymorphic Cytochromes P450 and Related Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes

Research over the past 30 years has elucidated the roles of polymorphic human liver cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes associated with toxicological and/or pharmacological actions. Thalidomide exerts its various pharmacological and toxic actions in primates through multiple mechanisms, including nonspecific modification of many protein networks after bioactivation by autoinduced human P450 enzymes. To overcome species differences between rodents, currently, nonhuman primates and/or mouse models with transplanted human hepatocytes are used. Interindividual variability of P450-dependent drug clearances in cynomolgus monkeys and common marmosets is partly accounted for by polymorphic P450 variants and/or aging, just as it is in humans with increased prevalence of polypharmacy. Genotyping of P450 genes in nonhuman primates would be beneficial before and/or after drug metabolism and toxicity testing and evaluation as well in humans. Genome-wide association studies in humans have been rapidly advanced; however, unique whole-gene deletion of P450 2A6 was subsequently developed to cover nicotine-related lung cancer risk study. Regarding polypharmacy, toxicological research should generally be aimed at identifying the risk of adverse drug events following specific potential drug exposures by examining single or multiple metabolic pathways involving single or multiple drug-metabolizing enzymes. Current and next-generation research of drug metabolism and disposition resulting in drug toxicity would be addressed under advanced knowledge of polymorphic and age-related intra- and/or interspecies differences of drug-metabolizing enzymes. In the near future, humanized animal models combining transplanted hepatocytes and a humanized immune system may be available to study human immune reactions caused by human-type drug metabolites. Such sophisticated models should provide preclinical predictions of human drug metabolism and potential toxicity.

Pharmacogenetic polymorphism as an independent risk factor for frequent hospitalizations in older adults with polypharmacy: a pilot study

Pharmacogenetic testing identifies genetic biomarkers that are predictive of individual sensitivity to particular drugs. A significant proportion of medications that are widely prescribed for older adults are metabolized by enzymes that are encoded by highly polymorphic genes. Pharmacogenetic testing is increasingly used to optimize the medication regimen; however, its potential in older adults with polypharmacy has not been systematically explored. Following the initial case-series study, this study hypothesized that frequently hospitalized older adults with polypharmacy have higher frequency of pharmacogenetic polymorphism as compared to older adults with polypharmacy who are rarely admitted to a hospital. To test this hypothesis, a nested case-control study was conducted with pharmacogenetic polymorphism as an exposure and hospitalization rate as an outcome. In this study, frequently hospitalized older adults (≥65 years of age) with polypharmacy were matched with rarely hospitalized older adults with poly-pharmacy by age, gender, race, ethnicity, and chronic disease score. Average age and number of prescription drugs did not differ in cases and controls (77.2±5.0 and 78.3±5.1 years, 14.3±5.3 and 14.0±2.9 medications, respectively). No statistically significant difference in sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics that are known to affect hospitalization risk was found between the cases and controls. Major pharmacogenetic polymorphism defined as presence of at least one allelic combination resulting in poor or rapid metabolizer status was identified in all the cases. No major pharmacogenetic polymorphisms were detected in controls. Based on the exact McNemar's test, the difference in major pharmacogenetic polymorphism frequency between cases and controls was statistically significant (p<0.05). In 50% of cases, more than one major pharmacogenetic polymorphism was found. The frequency of CYP2C19 rapid metabolizer, CYP3A4/5 poor metabolizer, VKORC1 low sensitivity, and CYP2D6 rapid metabolizer status in cases was 67%, 33%, 33%, and 17%, respectively, which significantly exceeded respective prevalence in general population. The mean number of major gene-drug interactions found in cases was 2.8±2.2, whereas no major drug-gene interactions were identified in controls. The difference in the number of major drug-gene interactions between cases and controls was statistically significant (p<0.05). The pilot data supported the hypothesis that pharmacogenetic polymorphism may represent an independent risk factor for frequent hospitalizations in older adults with polypharmacy. Due to small sample size, the results of this proof-of-concept study cannot be conclusive. Further work on the utility of pharmacogenetic testing for optimization of medication regimens in this vulnerable group of older adults is warranted.

Humanistic and economic outcomes of pharmacist-provided medication review in the community-dwelling elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE

Recent reviews have shown that pharmacist-provided medication review in the elderly can improve clinical outcomes and reduce medication discrepancies compared with usual care. However, none determined whether these translate to improved humanistic and economic outcomes. This review sought to evaluate the effects of medication review on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and healthcare costs in the elderly.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and the Cochrane library for studies published in English from inception to 31 August 2015 was conducted. The review included studies lasting at least 3 months that randomly assigned community-dwelling participants aged at least 65 years to receive either pharmacist-provided medication review or usual care. Studies set in nursing homes were excluded.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The review identified 25 studies that included 15 341 participants and lasted between 3 and 36 months. Twenty and 13 studies reported HRQoL and economic outcomes, respectively. Overall, there was no significant difference in HRQoL and healthcare costs between pharmacist-provided medication review and usual care. Meta-analysis of studies that reported the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey found significant differences in favour of usual care in the body pain (mean difference: 2·94, 95% CI: 0·54-5·34, P = 0·02) and general health perception (mean difference: 1·83, 95% CI: 0·16-3·50, P = 0·03) domains, whereas there were no significant differences in other domains. Meta-analysis of the EuroQol-5D utility (mean difference: -0·01, 95% CI: -0·02-0·01, P = 0·57) and visual analogue scale (mean difference: 0·01, 95% CI: -3·24-3·26, P = 1·00) found no significant differences. Costs of hospitalization, medication and other healthcare resources consumed were similar between groups.

WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION

Humanistic and economic outcomes of pharmacist-provided medication review were largely similar to those of usual care. Further research using more robust methodology is needed to determine whether improved medication management can improve HRQoL and reduce healthcare costs. Careful thought should be given to capturing relevant outcomes that reflect the potential benefits of this intervention.

'Pharmacy deserts' are prevalent in Chicago's predominantly minority communities, raising medication access concerns

Attempts to explain and address disparities in the use of prescription medications have focused almost exclusively on their affordability. However, the segregation of residential neighborhoods by race or ethnicity also may influence access to the pharmacies that, in turn, provide access to prescription medications within a community. We examined whether trends in the availability of pharmacies varied across communities in Chicago with different racial or ethnic compositions. We also examined the geographic accessibility of pharmacies to determine whether "pharmacy deserts," or low-access neighborhoods, were more common in segregated black and Hispanic communities than elsewhere. We found that throughout the period 2000-2012 the number of pharmacies was lower in segregated minority communities than in segregated white communities and integrated communities. In 2012 there were disproportionately more pharmacy deserts in segregated black communities, as well as in low-income communities and federally designated Medically Underserved Areas. Our findings suggest that public policies aimed at improving access to prescription medications may need to address factors beyond insurance coverage and medication affordability. Such policies could include financial incentives to locate pharmacies in pharmacy deserts or the incorporation of pharmacies into community health centers in Medically Underserved Areas.

Therapeutic challenges of managing inflammatory bowel disease in the elderly patient

INTRODUCTION

The rapid advancements in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have given clinicians many new therapeutic options. The prevalence of IBD in the elderly is increasing, and the role of these therapeutic agents in the elderly population with IBD is still uncertain.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we will highlight the challenges facing clinicians managing IBD in the elderly, the considerations to take when starting new medications, when to consider for surgical referral, the potential pitfalls to avoid, and the non-pharmacological management measures that clinicians should be aware of. Expert Commentary: The safety of prescribing new IBD medications in elderly patients must be taken into consideration. Managing comorbidities, polypharmacy, functional status and drug interactions can also be challenging and requires an individualized approach.

Glucosamine sulfate suppresses the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 in osteosarcoma cells in vitro

Background

Glucosamine, a common dietary supplement, has a possible anti-sarcoma effect. However, an understanding of the underlying mechanism of such an effect is limited. For this study we hypothesized that glucosamine suppresses the basal level of matrix metalloproteinase expression in human osteosarcoma cell lines.

Methods

We examined the osteosarcoma cell lines, MG-63 and SaOS-2. Cells were exposed to 0, 10, 50 and 100 μg/ml glucosamine sulfate for 48 h and treatment toxicity was determined through measurement of cell viability and proliferation. Relative gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -3 and -9 was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein levels of MMP-2 and -9 were assessed by ELISA.

Results

Administration of 10, 50 or 100 μg/ml glucosamine sulfate had no effect on the cell viability of MG-63 and SaOS-2 cells. A significant reduction of MMP expression in both cell lines was observed only for MMP-3, while a decrease in MMP-9 was seen in SaOS-2 cells. The expression of MMP-2 was not significantly affected in either cell line. Protein level of MMP-3 was reduced in both cell lines upon stimulation with 10 μg/ml glucosamine sulfate whereas for MMP-9 a decrease could only be observed in SaOS-2 cells.

Conclusion

In this study, we found a pronounced suppressive effect of glucosamine sulfate particularly on MMP-3 and also MMP-9 mRNA and protein levels in osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro. The data warrants further investigations into the potential anti-tumor efficacy of glucosamine sulfate in osteosarcoma.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1315-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cultural Disparities in the Use of Prescription and Nonprescription Medications Among Midlife Women in Israel

The study aimed to examine differences in medication use among midlife women from different cultural origins and to identify socio-demographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics associated with prescribed and non-prescribed medication use. Face-to-face interviews with women aged 45-64 years were conducted during 2004-2006 within three population groups: long-term Jewish residents (LTJR), immigrants from the former Soviet Union after 1989, and Arab women. The survey instrument included current use of medications and way of purchasing (with/without prescription). The level of prescribed and non-prescribed medication use was categorized as taking none, taking 1-2, and taking 3 or more medications. The rates of medication use were 59.5% for prescribed medication and 47% for non-prescribed medications. Differences between the minority groups and LTJR were observed mainly for cardiovascular, vitamins, supplements, and hormonal medications. The analyses showed significantly lower use of prescribed medications among immigrants and of non-prescribed medications among Arab women after taking into account health and socioeconomic indicators. Increased use of prescribed and non-prescribed medications was associated with worse health status and older age. Education was associated with increased use of non-prescribed medications. The disparities in pharmaceutical care may be linked to barriers in access to health care and to cultural preferences among minorities.

Frequency of Disparities in Laboratory Testing After Statin Initiation in Subjects ≥65 Years

Laboratory testing is important for the safety of older adults initiating statins, but there has been little examination of laboratory testing disparities by race/ethnicity, age, gender, Medicaid eligibility, and multimorbidity. The study's purpose was to examine disparities in guideline-concordant baseline laboratory testing and abnormal laboratory values among a retrospective cohort of 76,868 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from 10 states in the eastern United States who had dyslipidemia and initiated a statin from July 1 to November 30, 2011. Guideline-concordant assessment of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was defined as evidence of an outpatient claim for either test within 180 days before or 14 days after the date of the index statin fill. In 2011, baseline laboratory testing rates were 89.3% for ALT and 88.8% for AST. Older adults were somewhat more likely to have ALT and AST testing if they were dually enrolled in Medicaid (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00 to 1.02) or had multiple chronic conditions (relative risk 1.03, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.06 for 2 to 3 conditions; odds ratio [OR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.11 for 4 to 5 conditions; OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.17 for 6+ conditions), compared with 0 to 1 conditions. Non-Hispanic blacks were less likely to receive baseline testing (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.98) than non-Hispanic Whites, and male beneficiaries were somewhat less likely to receive testing than female beneficiaries (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98 to 0.99). Abnormal values were rare. In conclusion, ALT and AST assessment after statin initiation was commonly done as recommended, and there were negligible disparities in testing rates for beneficiaries.

A Use Case to Support Precision Medicine for Frequently Hospitalized Older Adults with Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy in older adults results in multiple negative clinical consequences including increased risk of hospital readmissions. Precision medicine may provide tools to optimize complex medication regimens however its potential in older adults with polypharmacy is unknown. We carried out pharmacogenetic testing in an older adult with multiple chronic conditions and polypharmacy who was concerned about frequent readmissions despite receiving guideline-concordant care and being adherent to medication regimen. The testing identified patients' CYP2D6 rapid metabolizer status. This may have resulted in decreased exposure to Carvedilol which was primary drug for CHF management in this patient. Additional nine drug-drug interactions were identified during personalized drug regimen review. We concluded that, though precision medicine has enormous potential in older adults with polypharmacy, the complexity of pharmacogenetic information requires innovative informatics solutions to support optimal workflows, decision support, and medication optimization and management in order to fully utilize its potential in routine clinical care.

Use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements in relation to risk of colorectal cancer: Results from the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals follow-up study

Recent epidemiologic evidence has emerged to suggest that use of glucosamine and chondroitin supplements may be associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). We therefore evaluated the association between use of these non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements and risk of CRC in two prospective cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Regular use of glucosamine and chondroitin was first assessed in 2002 and participants were followed until 2010, over which time 672 CRC cases occurred. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate relative risks (RRs) within each cohort, and results were pooled using a random effects meta-analysis. Associations were comparable across cohorts, with a RR of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.63-1.00) observed for any use of glucosamine and a RR of 0.77 (95% CI: 0.59-1.01) observed for any use of chondroitin. Use of glucosamine in the absence of chondroitin was not associated with risk of CRC, whereas use of glucosamine + chondroitin was significantly associated with risk (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.58-0.999). The association between use of glucosamine + chondroitin and risk of CRC did not change markedly when accounting for change in exposure status over follow-up (RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.58-0.96), nor did the association significantly vary by sex, aspirin use, body mass index, or physical activity. The association was comparable for cancers of the colon and rectum. Results support a protective association between use of glucosamine and chondroitin and risk of CRC. Further study is needed to better understand the chemopreventive potential of these supplements.

Relationships Among Adverse Events, Disease Characteristics, and Demographics in Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia With Gastroretentive Gabapentin

Objectives:

To characterize risk factors for occurrence of adverse events (AEs) and treatment discontinuations due to AEs for improving safety and tolerability of treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Methods:

Patients with PHN (n=556) received 1800 mg once-daily gastroretentive gabapentin (G-GR) in 2 phase 3 and 1 phase 4 study. Safety assessments included the incidence and severity of AEs and analysis of discontinuations due to AEs. Multivariable, logistic regression analyses examined predictors of AE reporting and discontinuations due to AEs.

Results:

In total, 53.2% of patients reported any AE, and 12.9% discontinued because of AEs. Both AE incidence and treatment discontinuations decreased rapidly during the 2-week titration to sustained, low levels. The probability to report any AE was 0.6 for females versus 0.4 for males, whereas there were no differences in probabilities for age (less than 75 vs. 75 y and older) and race (nonwhite vs. white). Consistent with this, only female sex was a significant (P=0.0006) predictor of AE reporting. Experiencing moderate (P≤0.0001) or severe (P=0.0006) AEs, but not patient demographics, was predictive of treatment discontinuations. The probability of discontinuation due to moderate AEs was 0.4 and 0.5 for severe AEs.

Discussion:

The tolerability of G-GR was not affected by patient age, but was affected by AE severity. Although being female was predictive of reporting AEs, it did not influence treatment discontinuation. Given that PHN is a disease for which the risk and duration of PHN increases with age and with being female, G-GR appears to be a well-suited treatment option for PHN.

Potentially inappropriate psychotropic prescription at discharge is associated with lower functioning in the elderly psychiatric inpatients. A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The objectives are to determine the rate of potentially inappropriate psychotropic (PIP) prescription at discharge in the elderly psychiatric inpatients and to determine whether PIP is associated with lowered functioning outcomes.

METHODS

Sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment data for all inpatients aged ≥ 65 years consecutively hospitalized during 1 year in 13 psychiatry departments was analyzed. PIP+/PIP- groups were defined according to the French-updated Beers criteria. Daily functioning was evaluated by the daily living (ADL) scale. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for the association between PIP administration at discharge and respectively functioning and potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Data was obtained for 327 patients. Overall, 124 (37.9 %) patients were males, and the mean age was 73.9 years (SD = 5.6); 163 (49.8 %) patients were diagnosed with affective disorders and 89 (27.2 %) with schizophrenia/schizotypal/delusional disorders. Overall, 249 (76.1 %) had one or more PIP medications, mainly anxiolytics (69.9 %) and hypnotics (17.2 %). In a multivariate analysis, PIP prescription at discharge has been associated with patient lowered personal care functioning, independently of age, gender, and psychiatric or somatic diagnoses (OR = 0.88 (0.79-0.97, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In the current increasingly fragmented health care systems, special attention must be given to PIP prescription in older population suffering from psychiatric disorders. Using the Beers criteria, the present study demonstrates the high prevalence of PIP prescription, which concerns a large panel of drugs but mostly anxiolytics and hypnotics independently of psychiatric or somatic diagnoses and sociodemographic characteristics. Our study has demonstrated for the first time an association between PIP prescription and lowered patient functioning. Further longitudinal studies should confirm a potential causal relation.

Medicines optimisation in older people: Taking age and sex into account

There are a number of complex and seemingly ignored issues around prescribing safely and effectively for older people, particularly for very old women. These issues include polypharmacy, possible compliance issues and communication barriers between patient, specialists and general practitioners (GPs). There are specific pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) parameters that change in older age generally, and in women more specifically, which if ignored are likely to cause symptoms and to impair quality of life when drug dosage is unchanged. These changed PK and PD parameters are not all-or-nothing processes, but a continuum across age, sex and comorbidity. Very old people also have less 'reserve' when drugs are used in 'standard' doses, are more likely to have multiple concurrent therapies, and the risk of adverse effects of drugs in this group is very high. Doctors need to consider these issues when providing therapy for this group, or when trying to unravel the complex prescribing cascade here. This review outlines general principles to consider when prescribing for older people, focusing on age- and sex-related changes in both PK and PD processes.

How effectively are your patients taking their medicines? A critical review of the Strathclyde Compliance Risk Assessment Tool in relation to the 'MMAS' and 'MARS'

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

A useful assessment tool that can support health care professionals in anticipating elderly patients' care needs regarding additional support in managing their own medicines is essential, but currently lacking. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess whether the 13-item Strathclyde Compliance Risk Assessment Tool (SCRAT) is an appropriate instrument for identifying community-dwelling elderly people who may be at risk of medication non-adherence.

METHOD

An 8-week survey was performed from October to November 2009. Patients were ≥65 years old, receiving ≥3 medications and were either using multi-compartment compliance aids or receiving social care support, or both. The data were collected in 45 face-to-face structured interviews using the 13-item SCRAT, 5-item Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and 8-item Modified Morisky Adherence Scale (MMAS) in sheltered housing complexes in Glasgow, Scotland. Interviews were analysed quantitatively using SPSS version 21 software.

RESULTS

The SCRAT instrument showed substantial inter-rater reliability (Cohen's kappa of 0.730 for the 13-item scale). There was a significant strong negative correlation between the 13-item SCRAT total risk score and 8-item MMAS (r = -0.654; P = 0.0036), and the 13-item SCRAT total risk score and 5-item MARS (r = -0.481; P = 0.0084). The SCRAT instrument showed satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.853 for the 13-item scale). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC ± standard error; 95% confidence interval) showed that the SCRAT had good discriminatory capacity and was able to distinguish between adherent and non-adherent participants on the MARS (0.729 ± 0.17; 0.39, 1.00). The best cut-off (sensitivity, specificity) was <3 (75%, 45%). In the sub-analyses, there was a significant difference in total risk score (3 vs. 2, P = 0.011) between users and non-users of multi-compartment compliance aids.

CONCLUSION

The study shows that the 13-item SCRAT has the potential to be used in identifying elderly participants who may have problems managing their own medicines and it may help to determine the level and type of assistance that patients require to manage their medicines.

Concurrent alcohol and medication poisoning hospital admissions among older rural and urban residents

BACKGROUND

Alcohol and medication interactions are projected to increase due to the growth of older adults that are unsafely consuming alcohol and medications. Plus, aging adults who reside in rural areas are at the highest risk of experiencing medication interactions.

OBJECTIVE

Estimate concurrent alcohol and medication (alcohol/medication) hospitalizations in adults 50+ years, comparing age groups and rural/urban regions.

METHODS

Kentucky nonfederal, acute care inpatient hospital discharge electronic records for individuals aged 50+ years from 2001 to 2012 were examined. Rate differences were estimated across age and regional strata. Differences in the underlying principal diagnosis, intent, and medications were also examined.

RESULTS

There were 2168 concurrent alcohol/medication hospitalizations among 50+ year olds identified. There was a 187% increase in alcohol/medication hospitalizations from 2001 (n = 104) to 2012 (n = 299). The per capita alcohol/medication hospitalization rate increased from 8.91 (per 100,000) in 2001 to 19.98 (per 100,000) in 2012, a 124% increase. The characteristics of the hospitalizations included 75% principal diagnosis as medication poisoning, self-harm as the primary intent (55%) in 50-64-year olds, and unintentional intent (41%) in 65+ adults. Benzodiazepines were most often involved in the poisonings (36.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Concurrent alcohol/medication hospitalizations in Kentucky are increasing among aging adults. Greater increases in rural areas and the 65+ aged adults were seen, although there were also higher alcohol/medication hospitalizations in urban and 50-64 aged adults. These findings indicate the need for public-health prevention and clinical intervention to better educate and manage alcohol consuming older adults on safe medication and alcohol practices.

Dietary Antioxidants as Modifiers of Physiologic Adaptations to Exercise

INTRODUCTION

Adaptive responses to exercise training (ET) are crucial in maintaining physiologic homeostasis and health span. Exercise-induced aerobic bioenergetic reactions in the mitochondria and cytosol increase production of reactive oxygen species, where excess of reactive oxygen species can be scavenged by enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants (AO) to protect against deleterious oxidative stress. Free radicals, however, have recently been recognized as crucial signaling agents that promote adaptive mechanisms to ET, such as mitochondrial biogenesis, AO enzyme activity defense system upregulation, insulin sensitivity, and glucose uptake in the skeletal muscle. Commonly used nonenzymatic AO supplements, such as vitamins C and E, α-lipoic acid, and polyphenols, in combination with ET, have been proposed as ways to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress and hence improve adaptation responses to endurance training.

METHODS

During the PubMed search, we selected studies that examined and compared ET effects with and without administration of commonly used AO supplements.

RESULTS

Preclinical and clinical studies to date have shown inconsistent results indicating either positive or negative effects of endurance training combined with different blends of AO supplements (mostly vitamins C and E and α-lipoic acid) on redox status, mitochondrial biogenesis pathways, and insulin sensitivity. Preclinical reports on ET combined with resveratrol, however, have shown consistent positive effects on exercise performance, mitochondrial biogenesis, and insulin sensitivity, with clinical trials reporting mixed effects. Relevant clinical studies have been few and have used inconsistent results and methodology (types of compounds, combinations, and supplementation time).

CONCLUSIONS

The future studies should investigate the effects of specific AO and other popular supplements, such as α-lipoic acid and resveratrol, on training effects in humans. Of particular importance are older adults who may be at higher risk of age-related increased oxidative stress, an impaired AO enzyme defense system, and comorbidities such as hypertension, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

Multiple chronic conditions and healthcare costs among adults

The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) is increasing among individuals of all ages. MCC are associated with poor health outcomes. The presence of MCC has profound healthcare utilization and cost implications for public and private insurance payers, individuals, and families. Investigators have used a variety of definitions for MCC to evaluate costs associated with MCC. The objective of this article is to examine the current literature in estimating excess costs associated with MCC among adults. The discussion highlights some of the theoretical and technical merits of various MCC definitions and models used to estimate the excess costs associated with MCC.

Hospitalization in older patients due to adverse drug reactions -the need for a prediction tool

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a major burden on society, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Older patients living in the community are particularly susceptible to ADRs, and are at an increased risk of ADR-related hospitalization. This review summarizes the available evidence on ADR-related hospital admission in older patients living in the community, with a particular focus on risk factors for ADRs leading to hospital admission and the need for a prediction tool for risk of ADR-related hospitalization in these individuals. The reported proportion of hospital admissions due to ADRs has ranged from 6% to 12% of all admissions in older patients. The main risk factors or predictors for ADR-related admissions were advanced age, polypharmacy, comorbidity, and potentially inappropriate medications. There is a clear need to design intervention strategies to prevent ADR-related hospitalization in older patients. To ensure the cost-effectiveness of such strategies, it would be necessary to target them to those older individuals who are at highest risk of ADR-related hospitalization. Currently, there are no validated tools to assess the risk of ADRs in primary care. There is a clear need to investigate the utility of tools to identify high-risk patients to target appropriate interventions toward prevention of ADR-related hospital admissions.

Concurrent use of prescription drugs and herbal medicinal products in older adults: a systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND

There has been a global increase in the use of herbal medicinal products (HMPs). About a quarter of UK adults use HMPs, bought over the counter by self-prescription and often not disclosed to healthcare professionals. Potential herb-drug interaction is a clinical concern, with older people at greater risk because of co-morbidities and slower clearance of pharmacologically active compounds. While there is a good understanding of general herbal medicine use by older people, less is known about the extent and implications of concurrent use with prescription medicines. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the prevalence, patterns, safety issues and other factors associated with concurrent prescription and herbal medicines use among older adults.

METHODS/DESIGN

Systematic electronic searches of MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Web of Science and Cochrane from inception till present for studies reporting the concurrent use of prescription medicines with HMPs in older adults (≥65 years). Lateral searching via related citation (PubMed) and checking reference lists of identified studies will be performed. Two reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data and appraise methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for prevalence data and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Qualitative and quantitative studies from all settings will be included. Non-empirical papers, in vitro experiments and animal studies will be excluded. Primary outcomes are prevalence and patterns of concurrent use, number and types of prescription and HMPs and adverse reactions reported. Secondary outcomes are disclosure of HMP use to healthcare professionals and cost of HMPs. A narrative synthesis of included studies will be performed to summarise the evidence.

DISCUSSION

This review will synthesise and critically appraise current knowledge on the concurrent use of drugs and HMPs by older adults and thus provide a better understanding of the issue. It will also identify any gaps in knowledge. By establishing safety issues associated with concurrent use, it will also inform strategies that can help practitioners to identify and manage older people at potential risk of herb-drug interactions.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42014009091.

Potential utility of precision medicine for older adults with polypharmacy: a case series study

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing has been increasingly used to optimize drug regimens; however, its potential in older adults with polypharmacy has not been systematically studied. In this hypothesis-generating study, we employed a case series design to explore potential utility of PGx testing in older adults with polypharmacy and to highlight barriers in implementing this methodology in routine clinical practice. Three patients with concurrent chronic heart and lung disease aged 74, 78, and 83 years and whose medication regimen comprised 26, 17, and 18 drugs, correspondingly, served as cases for this study. PGx testing identified major genetic polymorphisms in the first two cases. The first case was identified as "CYP3A4/CYP3A5 poor metabolizer", which affected metabolism of eleven prescribed drugs. The second case had "CYP2D6 rapid metabolizer" status affecting three prescribed medications, two of which were key drugs for managing this patient's chronic conditions. Both these patients also had VKORC1 allele *A, resulting in higher sensitivity to warfarin. All cases demonstrated a significant number of potential drug-drug interactions. Both patients with significant drug-gene interactions had a history of frequent hospitalizations (six and 23, respectively), whereas the person without impaired cytochrome P450 enzyme activity had only two acute episodes in the last 5 years, although he was older and had multiple comorbidities. Since all patients received guideline-concordant therapy from the same providers and were adherent to their drug regimen, we hypothesized that genetic polymorphism may represent an additional risk factor for higher hospitalization rates in older adults with polypharmacy. However, evidence to support or reject this hypothesis is yet to be established. Studies evaluating clinical impact of PGx testing in older adults with polypharmacy are warranted. For practical implementation of pharmacogenomics in routine clinical care, besides providing convincing evidence of its clinical effectiveness, multiple barriers must be addressed. Introduction of intelligent clinical decision support in electronic medical record systems is required to address complexities of simultaneous drug-gene and drug-drug interactions in older adults with polypharmacy. Physician training, clear clinical pathways, evidence-based guidelines, and patient education materials are necessary for unlocking full potential of pharmacogenomics into routine clinical care of older adults.

Factors associated with polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy in older people with intellectual disability differ from the general population: a cross-sectional observational nationwide study

OBJECTIVES

(1) To evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy (5-9 medicines) and excessive polypharmacy (10+ medicines) and (2) to determine associated demographic and clinical characteristics in an ageing population with intellectual disabilities (IDs).

DESIGN

Observational cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Wave One (2009/2010) of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA).

PARTICIPANTS

A nationally representative sample of 753 persons with ID, aged between 41 and 90 years. Participants/proxy reported medicines (prescription and over the counter) taken on a regular basis; medication data was available for 736 participants (98%).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES/INTERVENTIONS

Participants were divided into those with no polypharmacy (0-4 medicines), polypharmacy (5-9 medicines) and excessive polypharmacy (10+ medicines). Medication use patterns were analysed according to demographic variables and reported chronic conditions. A multinomial logistic regression model identified factors associated with polypharmacy (5-9 medicines) and excessive polypharmacy (≥10 medicines).

RESULTS

Overall, 90% of participants reported use of medicines. Polypharmacy was observed in 31.5% of participants and excessive polypharmacy in 20.1%. Living in a residential institution, and reporting a mental health or neurological condition were strongly associated with polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy after adjusting for confounders, but age or gender had no significant effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Polypharmacy was commonplace for older adults with ID and may be partly explained by the high prevalence of multimorbidity reported. Review of appropriateness of medication use is essential, as polypharmacy places ageing people with ID at risk of adverse effects.

Clinically and pharmacologically relevant interactions of antidiabetic drugs

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus often require multifactorial pharmacological treatment due to different comorbidities. An increasing number of concomitantly taken medications elevate the risk of the patient experiencing adverse drug effects or drug interactions. Drug interactions can be divided into pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions affecting cytochrome (CYP) enzymes, absorption properties, transporter activities and receptor affinities. Furthermore, nutrition, herbal supplements, patient's age and gender are of clinical importance. Relevant drug interactions are predominantly related to sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones and glinides. Although metformin has a very low interaction potential, caution is advised when drugs that impair renal function are used concomitantly. With the exception of saxagliptin, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors also show a low interaction potential, but all drugs affecting the drug transporter P-glycoprotein should be used with caution. Incretin mimetics and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors comprise a very low interaction potential and are therefore recommended as an ideal combination partner from the clinical-pharmacologic point of view.

Changes in Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medication and Dietary Supplement Use Among Older Adults in the United States, 2005 vs 2011

IMPORTANCE

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements are commonly used, alone and together, among older adults. However, the effect of recent regulatory and market forces on these patterns is not known.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize changes in the prevalence of medication use, including concurrent use of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements, and to quantify the frequency and types of potential major drug-drug interactions.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Descriptive analyses of a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults 62 to 85 years old. In-home interviews with direct medication inspection were conducted in 2005-2006 and again in 2010-2011. The dates of the analysis were March to November 2015. We defined medication use as the use of at least 1 prescription or over-the-counter medication or dietary supplement at least daily or weekly and defined concurrent use as the regular use of at least 2 medications. We used Micromedex to identify potential major drug-drug interactions.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Population estimates of the prevalence of medication use (in aggregate and by therapeutic class), concurrent use, and major drug-drug interactions.

RESULTS

The study cohort comprised 2351 participants in 2005-2006 and 2206 in 2010-2011. Their mean age was 70.9 years in 2005-2006 and 71.4 years in 2010-2011. Fifty-three percent of participants were female in 2005-2006, and 51.6% were female in 2010-2011. The use of at least 1 prescription medication slightly increased from 84.1% in 2005-2006 to 87.7% in 2010-2011 (P = .003). Concurrent use of at least 5 prescription medications increased from 30.6% to 35.8% (P = .02). While the use of over-the-counter medications declined from 44.4% to 37.9%, the use of dietary supplements increased from 51.8% to 63.7% (P < .001 for both). There were clinically significant increases in the use of statins (33.8% to 46.2%), antiplatelets (32.8% to 43.0%), and omega-3 fish oils (4.7% to 18.6%) (P < .05 for all). In 2010-2011, approximately 15.1% of older adults were at risk for a potential major drug-drug interaction compared with an estimated 8.4% in 2005-2006 (P < .001). Most of these interacting regimens involved medications and dietary supplements increasingly used in 2010-2011.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, the use of prescription medications and dietary supplements, and concurrent use of interacting medications, has increased since 2005, with 15% of older adults potentially at risk for a major drug-drug interaction. Improving safety with the use of multiple medications has the potential to reduce preventable adverse drug events associated with medications commonly used among older adults.

Medication Use by Race and Ethnicity in Women Transitioning Through the Menopause: A Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Drug Epidemiology Study

BACKGROUND

Medication utilization and costs increased over the last decade, but the effects of race/ethnicity have never been well studied in longitudinal data. We analyzed reports of prescription medication use to (1) identify trajectories of use and (2) determine predictors associated with a large increase in use. Specifically, variations in medication use by race/ethnicity were examined.

METHODS

We analyzed the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation cohort with a median of 14 years of follow-up. Group-based trajectory models helped distinguish women with a low use of medications versus those with heavy use. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for each racial/ethnic group associated with heavy use, controlling for potential baseline confounders.

RESULTS

The 2,798 women sampled had a mean age of 46 years at baseline and the median number of medications at baseline was 2, increasing to 4 over the follow-up period. Trajectory models identified that 16% of participants demonstrated heavy use of medications, from a median of 5 at baseline to 10 medications at final follow-up. Regression models controlling for age, obesity, number of comorbid conditions, and pain found that Hispanic (OR = 0.085, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.037-0.20), Chinese (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.63), Japanese (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.17-0.64), and Black (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.57-1.11) women had lower odds for heavy use compared with White women.

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal medication use among women in Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) differed by race/ethnicity with non-White women having a lower odds of heavy use.

Statin and Aspirin Use Among Hispanic and Latino Adults at High Cardiovascular Risk: Findings From the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

BACKGROUND

Despite variations in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and related risk factors among US Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse backgrounds, there is little information on whether disparities exist in the use of medications for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We examined the prevalence of statin and aspirin use among diverse US Hispanic/Latino adults at high cardiovascular risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A multicenter population-based study, the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, included a total of 16 415 participants of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, South American, and Central American backgrounds who were aged 18 to 74 years and enrolled between March 2008 and June 2011. Our analyses were limited to 4139 participants considered to be at high cardiovascular risk. Age-adjusted prevalence of statin and aspirin use was 25% and 44%, respectively, overall but varied by Hispanic/Latino background among those at high cardiovascular risk; statin use was significantly higher (P<0.001) among adults of Puerto Rican (33%) and Dominican (28%) backgrounds compared with adults of other backgrounds (Mexican, 24%; Cuban, 22%; Central American, 20%; South American, 22%). There was no difference in aspirin use. After adjusting for health insurance coverage, the difference in prevalence of statin use was substantially reduced among participants with a Puerto Rican background, from an odds ratio of 1.73 (95% CI 1.30-2.31) to 1.30 (95% CI 0.97-1.75), and with a Dominican background, from an odds ratio of 1.45 (95% CI 1.04-2.02) to 1.07 (95% CI 0.75-1.52), in comparison to their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Among Hispanic/Latino adults of diverse backgrounds, statin use was more prevalent among adults with Puerto Rican and Dominican backgrounds at high cardiovascular risk. These differences in statin use were explained, in part, by differences in insurance coverage. These findings have important implications for the prevention of disparities in cardiovascular outcomes within the growing US Hispanic/Latino population.

Hospitalized Traumatic Brain Injury: Low Trauma Center Utilization and High Interfacility Transfers among Older Adults

OBJECTIVE

Guidelines suggest that Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) related hospitalizations are best treated at Level I or II trauma centers because of continuous neurosurgical care in these settings. This population-based study examines TBI hospitalization treatment paths by age groups.

METHODS

Trauma center utilization and transfers by age groups were captured by examining the total number of TBI hospitalizations from National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and the number of TBI hospitalizations and transfers in the Trauma Data Bank National Sample Population (NTDB-NSP). TBI cases were defined using diagnostic codes.

RESULTS

Of the 351,555 TBI related hospitalizations in 2012, 47.9% (n = 168,317) were directly treated in a Level I or II trauma center, and an additional 20.3% (n = 71,286) were transferred to a Level I or II trauma center. The portion of the population treated at a trauma center (68.2%) was significantly lower than the portion of the U.S. population who has access to a major trauma center (90%). Further, nearly half of all transfers to a Level I or II trauma center were adults aged 55 and older (p < 0.001) and that 20.2% of pediatric patients arrive by non-ambulatory means.

CONCLUSION

Utilization of trauma center resources for hospitalized TBIs may be low considering the established lower mortality rate associated with treatment at Level I or II trauma centers. The higher transfer rate for older adults may suggest rapid decline amid an unrecognized initial need for a trauma center care. A better understanding of hospital destination decision making is needed for patients with TBI.

The inability of older adults to recall their drugs and medical conditions

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Previous research has shown that many older adults without known cognitive impairment are unable to recall basic knowledge about their medical history. We sought to determine whether older adult patients in our own clinic population were able to recall their drug regimens and medical conditions from memory.

METHODS

Patients aged 65 years or older with no known cognitive impairment, dementia, or memory loss who were presenting for routine outpatient follow-up in our medical school neurology and general medicine clinics were recruited. Each patient was asked to recall the number and names of their presently prescribed drugs and their associated medical conditions. Each patient was also administered a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) cognitive screening test (range 0-30).

RESULTS

Most patients were unable to recall their drug regimens or their medical conditions. Of 99 patients taking drugs, only 22% correctly named their drugs from memory, and only 34% correctly named their medical conditions associated with the drugs. Fewer than half (49%) correctly recalled the number of drugs they were taking. Poor recall performance was evident even in high-cognitive (MMSE>27) patients.

CONCLUSION

The accuracy of recall memory in older adults regarding their drugs and medical conditions may be poor, which has important implications towards medication reconciliation within meaningful-use doctrine. Clinicians treating older adults should be very cautious before relying on their patients' memories for accurate recall of their medical conditions, their drug regimens, and even the number of drugs they are taking.

Deprescribing in Frail Older People: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Objectives

Deprescribing has been proposed as a way to reduce polypharmacy in frail older people. We aimed to reduce the number of medicines consumed by people living in residential aged care facilities (RACF). Secondary objectives were to explore the effect of deprescribing on survival, falls, fractures, hospital admissions, cognitive, physical, and bowel function, quality of life, and sleep.

Methods

Ninety-five people aged over 65 years living in four RACF in rural mid-west Western Australia were randomised in an open study. The intervention group (n = 47) received a deprescribing intervention, the planned cessation of non-beneficial medicines. The control group (n = 48) received usual care. Participants were monitored for twelve months from randomisation. Primary outcome was change in the mean number of unique regular medicines. All outcomes were assessed at baseline, six, and twelve months.

Results

Study participants had a mean age of 84.3±6.9 years and 52% were female. Intervention group participants consumed 9.6±5.0 and control group participants consumed 9.5±3.6 unique regular medicines at baseline. Of the 348 medicines targeted for deprescribing (7.4±3.8 per person, 78% of regular medicines), 207 medicines (4.4±3.4 per person, 59% of targeted medicines) were successfully discontinued. The mean change in number of regular medicines at 12 months was -1.9±4.1 in intervention group participants and +0.1±3.5 in control group participants (estimated difference 2.0±0.9, 95%CI 0.08, 3.8, p = 0.04). Twelve intervention participants and 19 control participants died within 12 months of randomisation (26% versus 40% mortality, p = 0.16, HR 0.60, 95%CI 0.30 to 1.22) There were no significant differences between groups in other secondary outcomes. The main limitations of this study were the open design and small participant numbers.

Conclusions

Deprescribing reduced the number of regular medicines consumed by frail older people living in residential care with no significant adverse effects on survival or other clinical outcomes.

Trial Registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12611000370909

Antihypertensive and Statin Medication Use and Motor Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

To investigate whether the use of antihypertensive and statin medication in very old adults is associated with the level of motor performance.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

A community-based study recruited from over 40 residential facilities across the metropolitan Chicago area.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling very old adults (n = 1520; mean age 80.2; standard deviation 7.7).

MEASUREMENTS

Eleven motor performances were summarized using a composite motor score. All prescription and over the counter medications taken by participants were inspected and coded using the Medi-Span Data Base System. Demographic characteristics and medical history were obtained by means of detailed interview and medical examinations.

RESULTS

In multiple linear regression models, antihypertensive medications were associated with global motor score [β = -0.075, standard error (SE) 0.011, P < .001]. Thus, motor function in an individual with antihypertensive medication, was on average, about 7.5% lower than an age-, sex-, and education-matched individual without antihypertensive medication. The number of antihypertensive medications, which were being used had an additive effect, such that a reduction in the level of motor function was observed with each additional medication, and receiving 3 or more antihypertensive medications was associated with about a 15% reduction in the level of motor function. The association between antihypertensive medications and motor function was robust, and remained unchanged after adjusting for confounding by indication using several potentially confounding variables: smoking, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, and intermittent claudication (β = -0.05, SE 0.015, P = .001). In contrast, the use of statin medications was not related to motor function (unadjusted: β = 0.003, SE 0.015, P = .826; fully adjusted: β = 0.018, SE 0.014, P = .216).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of antihypertensive medications is associated with a lower level of motor function in very old adults. The nature of this association warrants further investigation.

Physician response to implementation of genotype-tailored antiplatelet therapy

Physician responses to genomic information are vital to the success of precision medicine initiatives. We prospectively studied a pharmacogenomics implementation program for the propensity of clinicians to select antiplatelet therapy based on CYP2C19 loss-of-function variants in stented patients. Among 2,676 patients, 514 (19.2%) were found to have a CYP2C19 variant affecting clopidogrel metabolism. For the majority (93.6%) of the cohort, cardiologists received active and direct notification of CYP2C19 status. Over 12 months, 57.6% of poor metabolizers and 33.2% of intermediate metabolizers received alternatives to clopidogrel. CYP2C19 variant status was the most influential factor impacting the prescribing decision (hazard ratio [HR] in poor metabolizers 8.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] [5.4, 12.2] and HR 5.0, 95% CI [4.0, 6.3] in intermediate metabolizers), followed by patient age and type of stent implanted. We conclude that cardiologists tailored antiplatelet therapy for a minority of patients with a CYP2C19 variant and considered both genomic and nongenomic risks in their clinical decision-making.

N-Acetyl cysteine does not prevent liver toxicity from chronic low-dose plus subacute high-dose paracetamol exposure in young or old mice

Paracetamol is an analgesic commonly used by people of all ages, which is well documented to cause severe hepatotoxicity with acute overexposures. The risk of hepatotoxicity from nonacute paracetamol exposures is less extensively studied, and this is the exposure most common in older adults. Evidence on the effectiveness of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) for nonacute paracetamol exposures, in any age group, is lacking. This study aimed to examine the effect of long-term exposure to therapeutic doses of paracetamol and subacute paracetamol overexposure, in young and old mice, and to investigate whether NAC was effective at preventing paracetamol hepatotoxicity induced by these exposures. Young and old male C57BL/6 mice were fed a paracetamol-containing (1.33 g/kg food) or control diet for 6 weeks. Mice were then dosed orally eight times over 3 days with additional paracetamol (250 mg/kg) or saline, followed by either one or two doses of oral NAC (1200 mg/kg) or saline. Chronic low-dose paracetamol exposure did not cause hepatotoxicity in young or old mice, measured by serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevation, and confirmed by histology and a DNA fragmentation assay. Subacute paracetamol exposure caused significant hepatotoxicity in young and old mice, measured by biochemistry (ALT) and histology. Neither a single nor double dose of NAC protected against this toxicity from subacute paracetamol in young or old mice. This finding has important clinical implications for treating toxicity due to different paracetamol exposure types in patients of all ages, and implies a need to develop new treatments for subacute paracetamol toxicity.

Comparison of a Medication Inventory and a Dietary Supplement Interview in Assessing Dietary Supplement Use in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Although dietary supplement use is common, its assessment is challenging, especially among ethnic minority populations such as Hispanics/Latinos. Using the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) (n = 16,415), this report compares two strategies for capturing dietary supplement use over a 30-day period: a medication-based inventory and a nutrition-based dietary supplement interview. Age-standardized prevalence was calculated across multiple dietary supplement definitions, adjusted with survey/nonresponse weights. The prevalence of dietary supplement use was substantially higher as measured in the dietary supplement interview, compared to the medication inventory: for total dietary supplements (39% vs 26%, respectively), for nonvitamin, nonmineral supplements (24% vs 12%), and for botanicals (9.2% vs 4.5%). Concordance between the two assessments was fair to moderate (Cohen’s kappa: 0.31–0.52). Among women, inclusion of botanical teas increased the prevalence of botanical supplement use from 7% to 15%. Supplement assessment that includes queries about botanical teas yields more information about patient supplement use.

The Burden of Polypharmacy in Patients Near the End of Life

CONTEXT

Patients with advanced illness are prescribed multiple medications in the last year of life, intensifying the risk of negative consequences related to polypharmacy.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the medication burden of patients near the end of life and identify potential areas for improvement in clinician prescribing practices.

METHODS

This was a prespecified secondary analysis of data from a prospective trial. Eligible participants were adults with less than 12 months estimated prognosis taking a statin medication for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Participants were enrolled from 15 sites, randomized to continue or discontinue statin medications, and followed for up to a year. Concomitant medications were recorded at least monthly from study enrollment through death. Prescribed medications were categorized by class and subclass. Descriptive statistics were calculated.

RESULTS

On average, participants (n = 244) were 74.3 years old (SD 11.5) and lived 264 days (SD 128); 47.5% of the patients had a primary diagnosis of malignant tumor. This population was exposed to medications across 51 classes, 192 subclasses, and 423 individual medications. Patients took an average of 11.5 (SD 5) medications at the time of enrollment and 10.7 (SD 5) medications at death or study termination. The five most common classes of medications prescribed near the end of life were antihypertensives, broncholytics/bronchodilators, laxatives, antidepressants, and gastric protection agents.

CONCLUSION

There is a significant medication burden placed on patients with advanced illness. Although most medications were prescribed for supportive care, we observed a high prevalence of medications for managing non-life-threatening comorbidities.

Global Sensory Impairment in Older Adults in the United States

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether there may be a common mechanism resulting in global sensory impairment of the five classical senses (vision, smell, hearing, touch, and taste) in older adults.

DESIGN

Representative, population-based study.

SETTING

National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling U.S. adults aged 57 to 85.

MEASUREMENTS

The frequency with which impairment co-occurred across the five senses was estimated as an integrated measure of sensory aging. It was hypothesized that multisensory deficits would be common and reflect global sensory impairment that would largely explain the effects of age, sex, and race on sensory dysfunction.

RESULTS

Two-thirds of subjects had two or more sensory deficits, 27% had just one, and 6% had none. Seventy-four percent had impairment in taste, 70% in touch, 22% in smell, 20% in corrected vision, and 18% in corrected hearing. Older adults, men, African Americans, and Hispanics had greater multisensory impairment (all P < .01). Global sensory impairment largely accounted for the effects of age, sex, and race on the likelihood of impairment in each of the five senses.

CONCLUSION

Multisensory impairment is prevalent in older U.S. adults. These data support the concept of a common process that underlies sensory aging across the five senses. Clinicians assessing individuals with a sensory deficit should consider further evaluation for additional co-occurring sensory deficits.

Maximizing the Post-Approval Safety of Flibanserin: A Role for Regulators, Clinicians, and Patients

In August 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the controversial decision to approve flibanserin (Addyi®) for women experiencing hypoactive sexual desire disorder. A number of factors contributed to disagreements regarding the FDA's decision, including the product's two prior failed FDA reviews, the unmet need of women with this disorder, extensive advocacy and politicization surrounding the product's relevance to women and sexual health, the potential for widespread off-label use, and the product's tenuous risk/benefit profile. Despite that, attention now shifts to maximizing the safe use of the product, including the optimal means to avoid numerous drug-drug interactions as well as the concomitant use of alcohol, both of which potentiate the risks of dizziness, hypotension, and syncope. Although the FDA has implemented a comprehensive Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies program to maximize the product's safe use, patients, clinicians, and regulators must exhibit heightened vigilance early in the product's post-market life.

Prevalence of statin-drug interactions in older people: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Statins are among the most frequently prescribed medications internationally. Older people are commonly prescribed multiple medications and are at an increased risk of drug-drug interactions, including statin-drug interactions. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of current evidence on the prevalence of statin-drug interactions in older people.

METHODS

A systematic search of observational studies in Embase, Medline, and PubMed was conducted. Articles were included if they were published in English during the period July 2000-July 2014 and reported on the prevalence of statin-drug interactions in people over 65 years of age. Two reviewers independently assessed the articles for eligibility and extracted the data.

RESULTS

The search returned 1556 eligible articles. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. In studies (n = 7) that focused on statin users only, the prevalence of potential statin-drug interactions assessed using different measures ranged from 0.19 to 33.0 %. In studies that examined drug interactions across a population of both statin users and non-users (n = 12), the prevalence of potential statin-drug interactions ranged from 0.1 to 7.1 % (n = 8), and the prevalence of clinically relevant statin-drug interactions ranged from 1.5 to 4 % (n = 4).

CONCLUSIONS

Current published evidence suggests substantial variations in the prevalence of statin-drug interactions and their clinical relevance. Further studies are necessary to provide a better understanding of the prevalence of clinically significant statin-drug interactions, the medications most frequently contributing to statin-drug interactions, and impact on relevant clinical outcomes in older people.

A preliminary examination of over-the-counter medication misuse rates in older adults

BACKGROUND

Older adults are the largest consumers of over the counter (OTC) medications. Of the older adults who are at risk of a major adverse drug event, more than 50% of these events involve an OTC medication.

OBJECTIVE

To explore how older adults select and hypothetically use OTC medications and if the selected medications would be considered safe for use.

METHODS

Walking interviews were conducted with 20 community-dwelling older adults in a community pharmacy. Each participant selected an OTC medication for a hypothetical pain and sleep scenario. Data were analyzed for four types of misuse: drug-drug interaction, drug-disease interaction, drug-age interaction, and excess usage.

RESULTS

At least one instance of potential misuse was found in 95% of participants. For sleep medications, drug-drug interactions and drug-age interactions were more common, affecting 50% and 65% of participants respectively. The most common type of misuse noted in the pain products selected was that of drug-drug interaction, with a total of 39 occurrences, affecting 60% of the participants.

CONCLUSIONS

OTC misuse is common among older adults, and it is important for older adults to seek out resources, such as a pharmacist, to help them make safe OTC decisions.

Impact of Clinical Pharmacy Specialists on the Design and Implementation of a Quality Improvement Initiative to Decrease Inappropriate Medications in a Veterans Affairs Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

As the proportion of older adult patients who interface with the health care system grows, clinical pharmacy specialists (CPS) have a pivotal role in reducing potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in this population.

OBJECTIVES

To (a) describe CPS involvement in the design and implementation of a quality improvement (QI) initiative to decrease PIM prescribing in a Veterans Affairs (VA) emergency department (ED) and (b) report on changes in PIM prescribing before and after the initiative.

METHODS

Enhancing Quality of Prescribing Practices for Veterans Discharged from the Emergency Department (EQUiPPED) is an ongoing multisite QI project that aims to decrease ED PIM prescribing. We used a mixed-method approach that applied qualitative and quantitative measures in describing the CPS role and evaluating PIM rates. PIMs were defined using the 2012 Beers Criteria. We reported monthly PIM rates in patients aged 65 years and older who were discharged from the ED from January 2012 to November 2014. A piecewise, nonlinear regression model evaluated the pattern in PIM prescriptions over time.

RESULTS

At the Durham, North Carolina, VA Medical Center, a total of 4 CPS were involved with tailoring the design and implementation of the EQUiPPED intervention for local use. CPS input led to 3 key innovations: academic detailing performed by a physician-CPS pair, medication alert messages identifying medications as PIMs in the computerized patient record system, and automated reports describing the frequency and type of PIMs prescribed by each ED provider. Between February 2013 and November 2014, 73 ED providers received the academic detailing. The ED facility experienced a relative reduction of 47.5% in the rate of PIM prescribing over the observation period.

CONCLUSIONS

This QI project resulted in a meaningful decrease in PIM prescribing in older ED adults. CPS contributions to QI can extend beyond pharmacotherapy and provider education to also include information technology tools using formulary management expertise.

Routine deprescribing of chronic medications to combat polypharmacy

The positive benefit-risk ratio of most drugs is decreasing in correlation to very old age, the extent of comorbidity, dementia, frailty and limited life expectancy (VOCODFLEX). First, we review the extent of inappropriate medication use and polypharmacy (IMUP) globally and highlight its negative medical, nursing, social and economic consequences. Second, we expose the main clinical/practical and perceptual obstacles that combine to create the negative vicious circle that eventually makes us feel frustrated and hopeless in treating VOCODFLEX in general, and in our 'war against IMUP' in particular. Third, we summarize the main international approaches/methods suggested and tried in different countries in an attempt to improve the ominous clinical and economic outcomes of IMUP; these include a variety of clinical, pharmacological, computer-assisted and educational programs. Lastly, we suggest a new comprehensive perception for providing good medical practice to VOCODFLEX in the 21st century. This includes new principles for research, education and clinical practice guidelines completely different from the 'single disease model' research and clinical rules we were raised upon and somehow 'fanatically' adopted in the 20th century. This new perception, based on palliative, geriatric and ethical principle, may provide fresh tools for treating VOCODFLEX in general and reducing IMUP in particular.

Long-Term Use of Cardiovascular Drugs: Challenges for Research and for Patient Care

Little is known about the benefits and risks of the long-term use of cardiovascular drugs. Evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) rarely goes beyond a few years of follow-up, but patients are often given continuous treatment with multiple drugs well into old age. We focus on 4 commonly used cardiovascular drug classes: aspirin, statins, beta-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors given to patients after myocardial infarction. However, the issues raised apply more broadly to all long-term medications across cardiovascular diseases and the whole of medicine. The evidence and limitations of RCTs are addressed, as well as current practice in pre-licensing trials, the increasing problems of polypharmacy (especially in the elderly), the lack of trial evidence for withdrawal of drugs, the role of regulatory authorities and other stakeholders in this challenging situation, and the potential educational solutions for the medical profession. We conclude with a set of recommendations on how to improve the situation of long-term drug use.