Psychoactive prescribing for older people-what difference does 15 years make?

Objective: The objective of the study was to review prescribing of psychoactive medications for older residents of the Tayside region of Scotland. Methods: The analysis used community prescribing data in 1995 and 2010 for all older residents in Tayside. For each psychoactive drug class, the name of the most recently prescribed drug and the date prescribed were extracted. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for patients receiving psychoactive medication in 2010 were compared with those for patients in 1995. Psychoactive prescribing was analyzed by year, age, gender, and deprivation classification. The chi-squared test was used to calculate statistical significance. Results: Total psychoactive prescribing in people over the age of 65years has increased comparing 1995 with 2010. Antidepressant [RR=2.5 (95% CI 2.41-2.59) p&lt;0.001] and opioid analgesia [RR=1.21 (1.19-1.24) p&lt;0.001] prescriptions increased between 1995 and 2010. Hypnotics/anxiolytic [RR=0.69 (0.66-0.71) p&lt;0.001] and antipsychotic [RR=0.83 (0.77-0.88) p&lt;0.001] prescriptions decreased between 1995 and 2010. An increase in psychoactive prescribing is particularly marked in lower socioeconomic groups. Patients in the least affluent fifth of the population had RR=1.25 (1.20-1.29) [p&lt;0.001] of being prescribed one to two psychoactive medications and RR=1.81 (1.56-2.10) [p&lt;0.001] of being prescribed three or more psychoactive medications in 2010 compared with those in 1995. The RRs for the most affluent fifth were RR=1.14 (1.1-1.19) [p&lt;0.001] and RR=1.2 (1.01-1.42) [p&lt;0.001] for one to two, and three or more medications, respectively. Conclusion: Psychoactive medication prescribing has increased comparing 1995 with 2010, with increases disproportionately affecting patients in lower socioeconomic groups. The availability of new psychoactive drugs, safety concerns, and economic factors may explain these increases.</p

National Indicators for Quality of Drug Therapy in Older Persons: the Swedish Experience from the First 10 Years

Inappropriate drug use is an important health problem in elderly persons. Beginning with the Beers’ criteria in the early 1990s, explicit criteria have been extensively used to measure and improve quality of drug use in older people. This article describes the Swedish indicators for quality of drug therapy in the elderly, introduced in 2004 and updated in 2010. These indicators were designed to be applied to people aged 75 years and over, regardless of residence and other characteristics. The indicators are divided into drug specific, covering choice, indication and dosage of drugs, polypharmacy, drug–drug interactions (DDIs), drug use in decreased renal function and in some symptoms; and diagnosis specific, covering the rational, irrational and hazardous drug use in common disorders in elderly people. During the 10 years since introduction, the Swedish indicators have several applications. They form the basis for recommendations for drug therapy in older people, are implemented in prescribing supports and drug utilisation reviews, are used in national benchmarking of the quality of Swedish healthcare and have contributed to initiatives from pensioner organisations. The indicators have also been used in several pharmacoepidemiological studies. Since 2005, there have been signs of improvement of the quality of drug prescribing to elderly persons in Sweden. For example, the prescribing of drugs that should be avoided in older persons decreased by 36 % between 2006 and 2012 in persons aged 80 years and older. Similarly, drug combinations that may cause DDIs decreased by 26 % and antipsychotics by 41 %. The indicators have likely contributed to this

Anticholinergic burden and risk of stroke and death in people with different types of dementia

Background. Anticholinergic burden is associated with poorer cognitive and functional outcomes in people with dementia. However, the impact of anticholinergics on significant adverse outcomes such as stroke has not been studied previously. Objective. To investigate the association between total anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) and risk of stroke and death in people with different dementia subtypes. Methods. This was a cohort study of 39107 people with dementia and no prior history of stroke registered in the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem) from 2008 – 2014. Data were extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register, the Swedish National Patient Register and the Swedish Total Population Register. Competing risk regression models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between time-varying ACB score and risk of stroke and all-cause mortality. Results. During a mean follow-up period of 2.31 (standard deviation 1.66) years, 11224 (28.7%) individuals had a stroke or died. Compared with non-users of anticholinergic medications, ACB score of 1 (HR 1.09, 95%CI 1.04 – 1.14) and ACB score of ≥2 (HR 1.20, 95%CI 1.14 – 1.26) increased the risk of developing the composite outcome of stroke and death. When stratifying by dementia disorder, the association remained significant in Alzheimer’s disease, mixed dementia and vascular dementia. Conclusions. The use of anticholinergic medicines may be associated with an increased risk of stroke and death in people with dementia. A dose-response relationship was observed. Careful consideration should be made when prescribing medications with anticholinergic properties to people with dementia.FORTEAccepte

Choosing Wisely? Measuring the Burden of Medications in Older Adults near the End of Life: Nationwide, Longitudinal Cohort Study

Abstract Background The burden of medications near the end of life has recently come under scrutiny, because several studies suggested that people with life-limiting illness receive potentially futile treatments. Methods We identified 511,843 older adults (>65 years) who died in Sweden between 2007 and 2013 and reconstructed their drug prescription history for each of the last 12 months of life through the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Decedents' characteristics at time of death were assessed through record linkage with the National Patient Register, the Social Services Register, and the Swedish Education Register. Results Over the course of the final year before death, the proportion of individuals exposed to ≥10 different drugs rose from 30.3% to 47.2% ( P Conclusion Polypharmacy increases throughout the last year of life of older adults, fueled not only by symptomatic medications but also by long-term preventive treatments of questionable benefit. Clinical guidelines are needed to support physicians in their decision to continue or discontinue medications near the end of life

Drug Treatment in Older People before and after the Transition to a Multi-Dose Drug Dispensing System - A Longitudinal Analysis

Tverrsnittstudie, undersøker assosiasjonen mellom multidose og polyfarmasi hos eldre.Background: an association has been found between multi-dose drug dispensing (MDD) and use of many drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of this association, by performing a longitudinal analysis of the drug treatment before and after the transition to MDD. Methods: inclusion critera in this register-based study were inhabitants in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, who, at ≥65 years of age and between 1st July 2006 and 30th June 2010, filled their first MDD prescription. For each individual, prescribed drugs were estimated at three month intervals before and after (maximum 3 years, respectively) the first date of filling an MDD prescription (index date). Results: a total of 30,922 individuals matched the inclusion criteria (mean age: 83.2 years; 59.9% female). There was a temporal association between the transition to MDD and an increased number of drugs: 5.463.9 and 7.563.8 unique drugs three months before and after the index date, respectively, as well as worse outcomes on several indicators of prescribing quality. When either data before or after the index date were used, a multi-level regression analysis predicted the number of drugs at the index date at 5.76 (95% confidence limits: 5.71; 5.80) and 7.15 (7.10; 7.19), respectively, for an average female individual (83.2 years, 10.8 unique diagnoses, 2.4 healthcare contacts/three months). The predicted change in the number of drugs, from three months before the index date to the index date, was greater when data before this date was used as compared with data after this date: 0.12 (0.09; 0.14) versus 0.02 (20.01; 0.05). Conclusions: after the patients entered the MDD system, they had an increased number of drugs, more often potentially harmful drug treatment, and fewer changes in drug treatment. These findings support a causal relationship between such a system and safety concerns as regards prescribing practices

Adenosine A2A receptors: localization and function

Adenosine is an endogenous purine nucleoside present in all mammalian tissues, that originates from the breakdown of ATP. By binding to its four receptor subtypes (A1, A2A, A2B, and A3), adenosine regulates several important physiological functions at both the central and peripheral levels. Therefore, ligands for the different adenosine receptors are attracting increasing attention as new potential drugs to be used in the treatment of several diseases. This chapter is aimed at providing an overview of adenosine metabolism, adenosine receptors localization and their signal transduction pathways. Particular attention will be paid to the biochemistry and pharmacology of A2A receptors, since antagonists of these receptors have emerged as promising new drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The interactions of A2A receptors with other nonadenosinergic receptors, and the effects of the pharmacological manipulation of A2A receptors on different body organs will be discussed, together with the usefulness of A2A receptor antagonists for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and the potential adverse effects of these drugs

Antidepressant Use and Suicide Rates in Adults Aged 75 and Above: A Swedish Nationwide Cohort Study

Background: The treatment of depression is a main strategy for suicide prevention in older adults. We aimed to calculate suicide rates by antidepressant prescription patterns in persons aged ≥ 75 years. A further aim was to estimate the contribution of antidepressants to the change in suicide rates over time. Methods: Swedish residents aged ≥ 75 years (N = 1,401,349) were followed between 2007 and 2014 in a national register-based retrospective cohort study. Biannual suicide rates were calculated for those with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) single use, mirtazapine single use, single use of other antidepressants and use of ≥ 2 antidepressants. The contribution of antidepressants to the change in biannual suicide rates was analyzed by decomposition analysis. Results: There were 1,277 suicides. About one third of these were on an antidepressant during their last 3 months of life. In the total cohort, the average biannual suicide rate in non-users of antidepressants was 13 per 100,000 person-years. The corresponding figure in users of antidepressants was 34 per 100,000 person-years. These rates were 25, 42 and 65 per 100,000 person-years in users of SSRI, mirtazapine and ≥ 2 antidepressants, respectively. In the total cohort, antidepressant users contributed by 26% to the estimated increase of 7 per 100,000 in biannual suicide rates. In men, biannual suicide rates increased by 11 suicides per 100,000 over the study period; antidepressant users contributed by 25% of the change. In women, those on antidepressant therapy accounted for 29% of the estimated increase of 4.4 per 100,000. Conclusion: Only one third of the oldest Swedish population who died by suicide filled an antidepressant prescription in their last 3 months of life. Higher suicide rates were observed in mirtazapine users compared to those on SSRIs. Users of antidepressants accounted for only one quarter of the increase in the suicide rate. The identification and treatment of suicidal older adults remains an area for prevention efforts.This study was funded by the Swedish Research Council (VR) 2016-01590, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte) 2016-07097, and ALFGBG433511 (Grants to MW). The sponsors had no role in the study design; collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; writing of the report; or decision to submit the paper for publication. Söderström-König Foundation (to KH, Grant number 844351

Association between Multi-Dose Drug Dispensing and Quality of Drug Treatment – A Register-Based Study

BACKGROUND: In the elderly in Scandinavia, multi-dose drug dispensing (MDD) is a common alternative to ordinary prescriptions (OP). MDD patients receive their drugs in unit bags, one for each dose occasion. The prescribing procedure differs between MDD and OP. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between MDD and quality of drug treatment (QDT). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A cross-sectional study was performed of all inhabitants in Region Västra Götaland alive on December 31st 2007, aged ≥65 years, with ≥1 prescribed drug and ≥2 health care visits for ≥2 diagnoses for obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, and/or cardiovascular disease in 2005-2007 (n = 24,146). For each patient, drug treatment on December 31st 2007 was estimated from drugs registered in the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. QDT was evaluated according to established quality indicators (≥10 drugs, Long-acting benzodiazepines, Drugs with anticholinergic action, ≥3 psychotropics, and Drugs combinations that should be avoided). Logistic regression, with adjustments for age, sex, burden of disease, and residence, was performed to investigate the association between MDD and QDT. Mean age was 77 years, 51% were females, and 20% used MDD. For all quality indicators, the proportion of patients with poor QDT was greater in patients with MDD than in patients with OP (all P<0.0001). Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for poor QDT (MDD patients vs. OP patients) ranged from 1.47 (1.30-1.65) to 7.08 (6.30-7.96) and from 1.36 (1.18-1.57) to 5.48 (4.76-6.30), respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Patients with MDD have poorer QDT than patients with OP. This cannot be explained by differences in age, sex, burden of disease, or residence. These findings must be taken into account when designing alternative prescribing systems. Further research is needed to evaluate causative factors and if the findings also apply to other dose dispensing systems

The impact of dementia on drug costs in older people: results from the SNAC study

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the impact of dementia on drug costs in older people, after adjustment for socio-demographic factors, residential setting and co-morbidities. METHODS: We included 4 129 individuals aged ≥ 60 years from The Swedish National Study on Aging and Care (SNAC) in Kungsholmen and Nordanstig 2001–2004. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to investigate how much dementia was associated with drug costs. RESULTS: Overall drug costs for persons with and without dementia were 6147 SEK (816 USD) and 3810 SEK (506 USD), respectively. The highest drug cost was observed for nervous system drugs among persons with dementia. The adjusted GLM showed that dementia was not associated with higher overall drug costs (β = 1.119; ns). Comorbidities and residential setting were the most important factors for overall drug costs. CONCLUSION: We found that the observed higher overall drug costs for persons with dementia were due to comorbidities and residential setting

Impact of Inappropriate Drug Use on Hospitalizations, Mortality, and Costs in Older Persons and Persons with Dementia: Findings from the SNAC Study

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate drug use (IDU) is an important risk factor for adverse outcomes in older persons. We aimed to investigate IDU and the risk of hospitalizations and mortality in older persons and in persons with dementia and to estimate the costs of IDU-related hospitalizations. METHODS: We analyzed 4108 individuals aged ≥60 years from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care (SNAC) data from Kungsholmen and Nordanstig (2001–2004). IDU was assessed by indicators developed by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Hospitalizations and mortality data were collected from Swedish registers. Regression models were used to investigate associations between IDU, hospitalizations, and mortality in the whole population and in the subpopulation of persons with dementia (n = 319), after adjustment for sociodemographics, physical functioning, and co-morbidity. Costs for hospitalizations were derived from the Nord-Diagnose Related Group cost database. RESULTS: IDU was associated with a higher risk of hospitalization [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.46; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.18–1.81] and mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.15; 95 % CI 1.01–1.31] within 1 year in the whole study population and with hospitalization (adjusted OR = 1.88; 95 % CI 1.03–3.43) in the subpopulation of persons with dementia, after adjustment for confounding factors. There was also a tendency for higher costs for hospitalizations with IDU than without IDU, although this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that IDU is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization in older persons and in persons with dementia. IDU is also associated with mortality among older persons. These findings highlight the need for cautious prescribing of long-acting benzodiazepines, anticholinergic drugs, concurrent use of three or more psychotropic drugs and drug combinations that may lead to serious drug–drug interactions to older patients. Further studies are needed to investigate the association between IDU and costs for hospitalizations