Table 4.
Medications, medication review and transfer of medication information at discharge
| Variable | Comparison group (n = 360) | Readmitted < 30 days (n = 360) |
p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of medications in total, Mean (SD) | 9.0 (4.9) | 11 (5.3) | < 0.001d |
| Number of daily medications, Mean (SD) | 7.2 (3.8) | 8.8 (4.1) | < 0.001d |
| Number of medications as needed, Mean (SD) | 1.8 (1.8) | 2.4 (2.1) | < 0.001d |
| Polypharmacya, % | 74 | 86 | < 0.001e |
| Excessive polypharmacyb, % | 24 | 42 | < 0.001e |
| Medications often connected to ADEs | |||
| Diuretics, % | 41 | 52 | 0.002e |
| Antihypertensive medications (not diuretics), % | 68 | 72 | 0.256e |
| Anticoagulants (including LMWH), % | 27 | 34 | 0.023e |
| Anti-platelet drugs, % | 39 | 32 | 0.052e |
| Insulin, % | 9.7 | 14 | 0.066e |
| Digoxin, % | 4.2 | 4.2 | 1.000e |
| Opiates, % | 31 | 37 | 0.098e |
| Potentially inappropriate medication regimensc | |||
| No of PIMs, Mean (SD) | 0.17 (0.41) | 0.16 (0.44) | 0.662d |
| No of FRIDs, Mean (SD) | 3.24 (2.24) | 3.64 (2.13) | 0.014d |
| Use of three or more psychoactive drugs, % | 10.0 | 9.2 | 0.704d |
| Medication changes made during hospital stay | |||
| Changes in medications made during stay, % | 84 | 88 | 0.110e |
| New medications started, % | 79 | 75 | 0.249e |
| Medications withdrawn, % | 23 | 31 | 0.024e |
| Dosages adjusted, % | 24 | 34 | 0.003e |
| Medication changes in discharge summary, % | 58 | 51 | 0.061e, f |
| Medication changes in medical case history, % | 52 | 47 | 0.180e |
| Medication report correct, % | 56 | 50 | 0.124e |
Abbreviations: LMWH Low Molecular Weight Heparin, PIM Potentially Inappropriate Medication, FRID Fall Risk Increasing Drug, SD Standard Deviation
aDefined as the daily use of five medications or more bDefined as the daily use of 10 medications or more cAccording to the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare dStudents t-testeχ2-test fInternal missing 0.1%
Significant p-values are indicated in bold.