Table 2.
Prevalence and exposure to the most frequent potentially inappropriate medications in older adults with chronic polypharmacy according to the Beers criteria and Laroche list.
| Older Adults with Chronic Polypharmacy | Older Adults with Chronic Hyperpolypharmacy | Cumulated Exposure to PIMs in Older Adults with Chronic Polypharmacy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| n = 27,834 | n = 2868 | ||
| Potentially inappropriate medications-broad 1 | 18,036 (64.8) | 2544 (88.7) | 13.5 |
| Potentially inappropriate medications-narrow 2 | 10,220 (36.7) | 1730 (60.3) | 6.7 |
| Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) without chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids 1 | 12,073 (43.4) | 1924 (67.1) | 6.3 |
| Benzodiazepines—short- and intermediate-acting | 3807 (13.7) | 660 (23.0) | 2.0 |
| Hypnotics (z-drugs) | 1688 (6.1) | 382 (13.3) | 0.8 |
| Central alpha-agonists | 1404 (5.0) | 308 (10.7) | 0.8 |
| Antidepressants (Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)/Paroxetine) | 1324 (4.8) | 228 (8.0) | 0.7 |
| Benzodiazepines—long-acting | 1271 (4.6) | 286 (10.0) | 0.6 |
| Sulfonylureas—long-acting | 1071 (3.9) | 201 (7.0) | 0.6 |
| First-generation antihistamines | 659 (2.4) | 159 (5.5) | 0.5 |
| Anticholinergic antispasmodics | 626 (2.3) | 119 (4.2) | 0.3 |
| Antidepressants (TCA, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)) with history of falls or fractures 1 | 420 (1.5) | 73 (2.6) | 0.2 |
| Non-cyclooxygenase-selective NSAIDs, oral without PPI 1 | 418 (1.5) | 65 (2.3) | 0.2 |
| Ergoloid mesylates | 380 (1.4) | 71 (2.5) | 0.2 |
PPIs: proton pump inhibitors; NSAIDs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; TCAs: Tricyclic antidepressants; SSRIs: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; SNRIs: Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Data are expressed as n (%); 1 considering both fully and partially applicable criteria; 2 considering only fully applicable criteria; 1,2 more details are provided in Table S1.