Optimization of Drug Prescribing in an Elderly Population of Geriatric Consultations

Optimization of Drug Prescribing in an Elderly Population of Geriatric Consultations and Living at Home

Aging is often associated with multiple chronic conditions conducting increased consumption of drugs. Drug therapy is necessary for the treatment of many diseases. However, misuse of drugs, particularly linked to the potentially inappropriate prescribing and polypharmacy, increases the iatrogenic risks and can lead to adverse events such as falls, cognitive decline, increased use to the health system: hospital admissions, emergency room visits, and institutionalization. These problems are common since about 20% of emergency room use in elderly patients due to an adverse event related to drugs. Nearly 28% of adverse events related to drug prescriptions could be avoided.

Interventions to optimize drug therapy showed a reduction in the number of potentially inappropriate medications, but their impact on health, has rarely been evaluated. If an association with death has been established, the link with the loss of functional autonomy, which leads to reduced quality of life and significant cost of care, has not been investigated. The evolution towards functional disabilities, frequent with aging has many causes, among which some could be prevented. The optimization of drug prescriptions could thereby delay or prevent the loss of functional autonomy by reducing the risk of adverse events, such as falls or cognitive decline and improving the management of chronic diseases. Our hypothesis is that an optimization program of the drug prescribing may slow progression to functional dependence. To assess the effect of the optimization program of drug prescribing on the level of functional autonomy, a multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial will be conducted in geriatric and memory consultations.

Expected results The implementation of the "OPTIM" program should enable optimization of drug prescribing in elderly patients and therefore slow or prevent progression to addiction. It should also help to develop and strengthen collaboration and communication between the team of geriatric consultation, the clinician pharmacist and referring physicians in town (private practice). In addition, pharmaceutical notice sent to referring physicians should help raise awareness of the prescription of drugs in these patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged 65 and over;
• Patients received for the first time in a geriatric or memory consultation of a study recruiting centers;
• Patients living at home;
• Patients with the ability to express themselves orally or in writing in French sufficiently to carry out clinical assessments;
• Patients who led the last drugs prescription from his referring physician, at the geriatric/memory consultation (in current practice, patients should take the last prescription established by the referring physician);
• Patients accompanied by a caregiver.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with no discernment;
• Patient put under legal protection;