Potential drug –drug interactions and polypharmacy in institutionalized elderly patients in a public hospital in Brazil

This study shows that in hospitalized elderly patients with mental disorders (aged 60–69 years), polypharmacy (≥5 drugs) and the use of drugs that act on the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems can lead to potential drug–drug interactions. Moreover, it was reported that the prevalence of drug–drug interactions in elderly patients with mental disorders was high during their hospitalization in a public hospital in Brazil. What are the implications for practice? Nurses should know the factors associated with drug–drug interactions in hospitalized elderly patients with mental disorders to choose appropriate strategies for avoiding treatment failure and adverse events in patients. AbstractIntroductionDespite the impact on patient safety and the fact that prevalence is higher in older patients, previous research did not analyse drug–drug interactions (DDIs) in view of nursing care of elderly psychiatric patients.AimTo identify potential drug–drug interactions and polypharmacy in prescriptions of aged inpatients with psychiatric disorders and analyse associated factors.MethodsIn this retrospective cross‐sectional study, we analysed the medical records of institutionalized patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders (n = 94), aged >60 years, and prescribed multiple medications. Drug prescriptions were checked at admission, midway through and the last prescription. Factors associated with DDI occurrence were assessed using multivariable logis...
Source: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research