Risk factors for potentially inappropriate drug prescription in older adults

Background: The potentially inappropriate pharmacological prescription in older adults occurs when the risk of adverse effects is greater than the clinical benefit when prescribing a medication. Objective: Determine the risk factors for potentially inappropriate drug prescription in older adults. Methods: Observational, cross-sectional, prospective and analytical study in patients who visited the Veracruz Specialties Naval Hospital. Including age from 65 years, at least one chronic condition and at least one control medication. The STOPP / START questionnaire was used to detect the potentially inappropriate prescription. Two groups were formed: with inappropriate prescription and with appropriate prescription. The risks were included: greater than 4 diseases, greater than 5 medications, age between 65 to 74 years, female sex, analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics with OR and 95% CI; Chi square. Using statistical package SPSSv24.0. Results: 300 patients were evaluated, average age 75.4 ± 7.3 years. The inappropriate pharmacological prescription was 91 (31.7%). The risks greater than 4 comorbidities were inappropriate 17 (18.7%) and appropriate 25 (12.0%); OR 1.6 (IC 950.8-3.3), P = 0.123. The use of more than 5 drugs in inappropriate 18 (19.8%) and appropriate 40 (19.1%) OR 1.0 (95% CI 0.5-1.9), P = 0.897. The female sex was inappropriate 48 (52.7%) and 112 (53.6%) OR 0.9 (0.5-1.5), P = 0.893. No significant statistical differences were identified between each of these variables. Conclusions: No association was found between the factors studied and the potentially inappropriate prescription.