Use of potentially inappropriate medicines in elderly: A prospective study in medicine out-patient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital

OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken with the aim to detect extent of drug use in elderly at medicine outpatient department at tertiary care hospital and to evaluate inappropriate prescribing with the help of Beers' criteria 2002. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out at medicine out patient department of our hospital. 407 geriatric patients were included during the study period of three and half months. The data was collected in a proforma which included the patients' details and the prescriptions. RESULTS: The results reveal that 7.42% of total drugs were prescribed in an inappropriate manner and 23.59% of total patients received at least one inappropriate drug prescription. Administration of a drug which is avoided in elderly forms a common category of inappropriate drug use. Antihistamines, anticholinergic, sedatives and hypnotics and cardiac glycosides are the most common drug groups prescribed in inappropriate manner. CONCLUSION: To conclude, this study shows high prevalence of inappropriate use of drugs in geriatric practice suggesting urgent need for sincere efforts to improve the situation.