Improving the Quality of Pharmacotherapy in Elderly Primary Care Patients Through Medication Reviews: A Randomised Controlled Study

摘要: Polypharmacy in the Swedish elderly population is currently a prioritised area of research with focus on reducing use potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs). Multi-professional interventions have previously been tested for their ability to improve drug therapy frail patients. This study aimed assess structured model pharmacist-led medication reviews primary health care southern Sweden and measure its effects numbers patients PIMs (using definition National Board Health Welfare) using ≥10 drugs ≥3 psychotropics. was randomised controlled clinical trial performed group aged ≥75 years living nursing homes or community receiving municipal care. Medication were by trained pharmacists based nurse-initiated symptom assessments team-based distance feedback physician. Data collected from patients’ electronic lists medical records at baseline 2 months after review. A total 369 included: 182 intervention 187 control group. One-third both groups had least one PIM baseline. Two months reviews, number ten more decreased (p = 0.007 p = 0.001, respectively), while there no statistically significant changes No seen three psychotropic drugs, although dosages these tended decrease. Drug-related problems (DRPs) identified 93 % In total, 431 DRPs (a mean 2.5 per patient, range 0–9, SD 1.5 95 % CI) 16 % related PIMs. involving appear be feasible method reduce PIMs, thus improving quality pharmacotherapy