Table 4.

Total number of PIMs* according to the subcategories of drugs taken at admission, newly started during hospitalisation and taken at discharge

Drug category	At admission	Newly started†	At discharge	P values‡
Total	510 (100.0)	50 (100.0)	219 (100.0)	<0.001
Benzodiazepines	141 (27.6)	7 (14.0)	65 (29.7)	<0.001
Proton pump inhibitors§	129 (25.3)	23 (46.0)	83 (37.9)	<0.001
Hypnotics (non-benzodiazepines)	38 (7.5)	5 (10.0)	21 (9.6)	0.001
Antipsychotics	36 (7.1)	1 (2.0)	15 (6.8)	<0.001
NSAIDs	28 (5.5)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	<0.001
Ticlopidine or dipyridamole	18 (3.5)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.5)	<0.001
Peripheral alpha-1 blocker	18 (3.5)	7 (14.0)	12 (5.5)	0.16
Digoxin	16 (3.1)	1 (2.0)	2 (0.9)	<0.001
H2-receptor antagonists for dementia	14 (2.7)	0 (0.0)	3 (1.4)	<0.001
Anticholinergics	14 (2.7)	0 (0.0)	3 (1.4)	0.002
First-generation antihistamines	12 (2.4)	1 (2.0)	1 (0.5)	0.004
Antidepressants	11 (2.2)	1 (2.0)	4 (1.8)	0.05
Verapamil or diltiazem for heart failure	10 (2.0)	1 (2.0)	4 (1.8)	0.06
Others	25 (4.9)	2 (4.0)	4 (1.8)	<0.001

Values are given as numbers (percentages).

*PIMs are defined based on the 2015 American Geriatric Society Beers Criteria.

†Defined as medications that were not prescribed at admission but were prescribed at discharge.

‡Comparison of the number of PIMs at admission and at discharge using a two-tailed paired t-test.

§PPI therapy was judged to be potentially inappropriate if the patients had none of the following indications: (1) peptic ulcer disease; (2) GERD with or without oesophagitis; (3) Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy; (4) pathological hypersecretory conditions, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome; (5) use of NSAIDs; (6) use of antiplatelet therapy and at least one risk factor (history of peptic ulcer or concomitant use of anticoagulants or corticosteroids).

GERD, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PIM, potentially inappropriate medication; PPI, proton pump inhibitor.