Risk factors correlated to potentially inappropriate medications in the elderly

Abstract Backgroud The prevalence of multimorbidity ( ≥2 chronic disorders in the same individual), polypharmacy ( ≥5 medications in the same individual) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in elderly patients was very high. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis of 276 elderly patients aged ≥65 years old. PIMs was analyzed based on the Beers criteria (2019 edition) and Chinese criteria, patients were divided into non-PIMs, 1PIMs and ≥2 PIMs group based on both critieria. Logistic regression analysis wasconducted to investigate factors related to PIMs. Results The prevalence of multimorbidity was as high as 96.74% (n=267). 91.30% of patients (n=252) had polypharmacy. Determined by Beers and Chinese criteria, 40.22% (n=111) and 41.30% (n=114) of patients had 1 PIMs, 26.09% (n=72) and 13.77% (n=38) of patients had 2 or more PIMs. Based on Beers criteria, patients with PIMs had more prescribed medications compared to patients with non-PIMs (median [inter-quartile range, IQR]: 10[7–12] vs.7[5-9]), patients with 2 or more PIMs had significant more prescribed medications compared to patients with 1 PIMs (11[9.25-13] vs 8[7-11]); Similar results was found based on Chinese criteria. Further logistic regression analysis showed that the strongest predictor of PIMs was increased number of prescribed medications as determined by both Beers and Chinese criteria (P<0.001). Gender, number of diseases or age was not risk factor correlated to PIMs in our study. Conclusion PIMs in the elderly was very common, increased number of prescribed medications was the strongest predictor of PIMs.