Table 2.
Number and prevalence of POSAMINO criteria among total sample, current drinkers and those using medications included in POSAMINO
| Criteria description | Number of people fitting POSAMINO criteria | % of total sample (n=1599) |
% of current drinkers (n=1065) |
% taking medication class* |
| Cardiovascular system | 297 | 19 | 27.9 | 27.9 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with multiple antihypertensive combinations | 188 | 12 | 17.7 | 28.0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with warfarin (and phenindione) | 27 | 2 | 2.5 | 26.7 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with regular use of low dose aspirin (75 mg) | 204 | 13 | 19.2 | 30.4 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with both regular and as required nitrates (eg, glyceryl trinitrate, isosorbide dinitrate and isosorbide mononitrate) | 21 | 1 | 2.0 | 31.3 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with the vasodilatory medication nicorandil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with the combined use of both nitrates and vasodilator medication (eg, nicorandil) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with diuretics (eg, loop diuretics (furosemide), thiazide diuretics (bendroflumethiazide) and potassium sparing diuretics (amiloride)) | 77 | 4.8 | 7.2 | 25.2 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with alpha blockers (eg, terazosin) | 20 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 27.0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with centrally acting antihypertensives (eg, clonidine or methyldopa) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Respiratory system | 10 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 52.6 |
| Any alcohol consumption with first generation antihistamines (eg, promethazine) | 10 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 52.6 |
| Central nervous system | 241 | 15 | 22.6 | 30.4 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with benzodiazepines (eg, diazepam) and benzodiazepine-related medications (eg, zopiclone) | 88 | 5.5 | 8.3 | 24.3 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption combined with opioids | 73 | 4.6 | 6.9 | 25.6 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with all antipsychotics | 7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 14.6 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with antiepileptic drugs | 35 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 23.6 |
| Any alcohol consumption with tricyclic antidepressants | 45 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 66.7 |
| Any alcohol consumption with mirtazapine | 19 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 55.9 |
| Any alcohol consumption with monoamine oxidase inhibitors | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with long-term regular paracetamol use (eg, 1 g four times a day) | 118 | 7.3 | 11.1 | 23.7 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with gabapentin (when used for neuropathic pain) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with apomorphine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Endocrine system | 60 | 3.8 | 5.6 | 24.8 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with insulin | 15 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 25.4 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with metformin | 53 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 26.8 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with sulphonylureas | 14 | 0.9 | 1.31 | 17.3 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with meglitinides (eg, nateglinide) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with thiazolidinediones (eg, pioglitazone) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Musculoskeletal and joint diseases | 71 | 4.4 | 6.7 | 30.6 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including COX-2 inhibitors) | 63 | 3.9 | 5.9 | 29.9 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption combined with methotrexate or leflunomide | 7 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 25.0 |
| Malignant disease and immunosuppression | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Any alcohol consumption with procarbazine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with interferon-alpha or interferon-beta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Infection | 49 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 75.4 |
| Heavy alcohol consumption with antimycobacterial medications such as isoniazid, pyrazinamide, ethionamide and rifampicin (alone or in combination) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Any alcohol consumption with cycloserine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Any alcohol consumption with metronidazole or tinidazole | 49 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 75.4 |
Any individual POSAMINO criteria with less than five individuals are not reported in this table to ensure anonymity of respondents.
*The denominator for medication users varied across drug classes; cardiovascular system (n=1066); respiratory system (n=19); central nervous system (n=791); endocrine system (n=241); musculoskeletal and joint diseases (n=231); malignant disease and immunosuppression (n=0); infection (n=65).
POSAMINO, POtentially Serious Alcohol-Medication INteractions in Older adults.