Prescribing in the oldest old inpatients: a retrospective analysis of patients referred for specialist geriatric consultation

Prevalence and factors associated with Advance Health Directives in frail older inpatients

BACKGROUND

Advance health directives (AHDs) can be used to explore and document patient preferences for treatment and are therefore an important aspect of care planning.

AIMS

To investigate the prevalence and factors associated with AHDs among older inpatients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 6449 patients, aged ≥65 years referred for specialist geriatric consultation between 2007 and 2018 in Queensland, Australia. The interRAI-Acute Care Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment tool was used to calculate a frailty index (FI), range 0-1, based on 52 possible deficits, and categorised into intervals of 0.1 for analysis. FI was also grouped according to previously reported cut points: fit (FI ≤0.25), moderately frail (FI >0.25-0.4), frail (FI >0.4-0.6) and severely frail (FI >0.6).

RESULTS

An AHD was present in 1032/6449 (16.0%) patients. Those with an AHD were significantly frailer than those without an AHD (mean FI 0.52 vs 0.45; p < 0.001). Higher frailty (OR:1.34(1.27-1.40)), older age (OR:1.04(1.03-1.05)), living in an institution (OR:1.33(1.01-1.73)), and recent hospitalisation (OR:1.42(1.23-1.62)) were significantly associated with higher prevalence of AHDs. Prevalence of AHD increased over time, from 7.6%(n = 66) in 2008 to 35.4%(n = 99) in 2017.

CONCLUSION

The presence of AHDs is associated with sociodemographic factors, as well as higher frailty levels. Prevalence of AHDs among inpatients has increased over the past decade but remains modest. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Characterising polypharmacy in the very old: Findings from the Newcastle 85+ Study

BACKGROUND

Polypharmacy is potentially harmful and under-researched amongst the fastest growing subpopulation, the very old (aged ≥85). We aimed to characterise polypharmacy using data from the Newcastle 85+ Study-a prospective cohort of people born in 1921 who turned 85 in 2006 (n = 845).

METHODS

The prevalence of polypharmacy at baseline (mean age 85.5) was examined using cut-points of 0, 1, 2-4, 5-9 and ≥10 medicines-so-called 'no polypharmacy', 'monotherapy', 'minor polypharmacy', 'polypharmacy' and 'hyperpolypharmacy.' Cross-tabulations and upset plots identified the most frequently prescribed medicines and medication combinations within these categories. Mixed-effects models assessed whether gender and socioeconomic position were associated with prescribing changes over time (mean age 85.5-90.5). Participant characteristics were examined through descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Complex multimorbidity (44.4%, 344/775) was widespread but hyperpolypharmacy was not (16.0%, 135/845). The median medication count was six (interquartile range 4-8). Preventative medicines were common to all polypharmacy categories, and prescribing regimens were diverse. Nitrates and oral anticoagulants were more frequently prescribed for men, whereas bisphosphonates, non-opioid analgesics and antidepressants were more common in women. Cardiovascular medicines, including loop diuretics, tended to be more frequently prescribed for socioeconomically disadvantaged people (<25th centile Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)), despite no difference in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (p = 0.56) and diabetes (p = 0.92) by IMD.

CONCLUSION

Considering their complex medical conditions, prescribing is relatively conservative amongst 85-year-olds living in North East England. Prescribing shows significant gender and selected socioeconomic differences. More support for managing preventative medicines, of uncertain benefit, might be helpful in this population.