25 research outputs found
Provenance-Centered Dataset of Drug-Drug Interactions
Over the years several studies have demonstrated the ability to identify
potential drug-drug interactions via data mining from the literature (MEDLINE),
electronic health records, public databases (Drugbank), etc. While each one of
these approaches is properly statistically validated, they do not take into
consideration the overlap between them as one of their decision making
variables. In this paper we present LInked Drug-Drug Interactions (LIDDI), a
public nanopublication-based RDF dataset with trusty URIs that encompasses some
of the most cited prediction methods and sources to provide researchers a
resource for leveraging the work of others into their prediction methods. As
one of the main issues to overcome the usage of external resources is their
mappings between drug names and identifiers used, we also provide the set of
mappings we curated to be able to compare the multiple sources we aggregate in
our dataset.Comment: In Proceedings of the 14th International Semantic Web Conference
(ISWC) 201
The prevalence of polypharmacy in elderly attenders to an emergency department - a problem with a need for an effective solution
We studied the prevalence of polypharmacy in attenders aged 75 years and over to an emergency department (ED) in North London over a period of 1 month. We identified 467 patients in this age group. Analysis of medications being prescribed revealed at least 82 patients on medication with the potential for adverse interaction. There is a need for ED-initiated strategies to identify interactions and for pathways to allow for medication review
Improving appropriate polypharmacy for older people in primary care: selecting components of an evidence-based intervention to target prescribing and dispensing
Background
The use of multiple medicines (polypharmacy) is increasingly common in older people. Ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate combinations of medications (appropriate polypharmacy) is a significant challenge. The quality of evidence to support the effectiveness of interventions to improve appropriate polypharmacy is low. Systematic identification of mediators of behaviour change, using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), provides a theoretically robust evidence base to inform intervention design. This study aimed to (1) identify key theoretical domains that were perceived to influence the prescribing and dispensing of appropriate polypharmacy to older patients by general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists, and (2) map domains to associated behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to include as components of an intervention to improve appropriate polypharmacy in older people in primary care.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of each healthcare professional (HCP) group using tailored topic guides based on TDF version 1 (12 domains). Questions covering each domain explored HCPsâ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to ensuring the prescribing and dispensing of appropriate polypharmacy to older people. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis involved the framework method and content analysis. Key domains were identified and mapped to BCTs based on established methods and discussion within the research team.
Results
Thirty HCPs were interviewed (15 GPs, 15 pharmacists). Eight key domains were identified, perceived to influence prescribing and dispensing of appropriate polypharmacy: âSkillsâ, âBeliefs about capabilitiesâ, âBeliefs about consequencesâ, âEnvironmental context and resourcesâ, âMemory, attention and decision processesâ, âSocial/professional role and identityâ, âSocial influencesâ and âBehavioural regulationâ. Following mapping, four BCTs were selected for inclusion in an intervention for GPs or pharmacists: âAction planningâ, âPrompts/cuesâ, âModelling or demonstrating of behaviourâ and âSalience of consequencesâ. An additional BCT (âSocial support or encouragementâ) was selected for inclusion in a community pharmacy-based intervention in order to address barriers relating to interprofessional working that were encountered by pharmacists.
Conclusions
Selected BCTs will be operationalised in a theory-based intervention to improve appropriate polypharmacy for older people, to be delivered in GP practice and community pharmacy settings. Future research will involve development and feasibility testing of this intervention
Impact of geriatric comorbidity and polypharmacy on cholinesterase inhibitors prescribing in dementia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although most guidelines recommend the use of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) for mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease, only a small proportion of affected patients receive these drugs. We aimed to study if geriatric comorbidity and polypharmacy influence the prescription of ChEIs in patients with dementia in Germany.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used claims data of 1,848 incident patients with dementia aged 65 years and older. Inclusion criteria were first outpatient diagnoses for dementia in at least three of four consecutive quarters (incidence year). Our dependent variable was the prescription of at least one ChEI in the incidence year. Main independent variables were polypharmacy (defined as the number of prescribed medications categorized into quartiles) and measures of geriatric comorbidity (levels of care dependency and 14 symptom complexes characterizing geriatric patients). Data were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On average, patients were 78.7 years old (47.6% female) and received 9.7 different medications (interquartile range: 6-13). 44.4% were assigned to one of three care levels and virtually all patients (92.0%) had at least one symptom complex characterizing geriatric patients. 13.0% received at least one ChEI within the incidence year. Patients not assigned to the highest care level were more likely to receive a prescription (e.g., no level of care dependency vs. level 3: adjusted Odds Ratio [OR]: 5.35; 95% CI: 1.61-17.81). The chance decreased with increasing numbers of symptoms characterizing geriatric patients (e.g., 0 vs. 5+ geriatric complexes: OR: 4.23; 95% CI: 2.06-8.69). The overall number of prescribed medications had no influence on ChEI prescription and a significant effect of age could only be found in the univariate analysis. Living in a rural compared to an urban environment and contacts to neurologists or psychiatrists were associated with a significant increase in the likelihood of receiving ChEIs in the multivariate analysis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It seems that not age as such but the overall clinical condition of a patient including care dependency and geriatric comorbidities influences the process of decision making on prescription of ChEIs.</p
Patientsâ perceptions of their âmostâ and âleastâ important medications: a retrospective cohort study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite benefits of adherence, little is known about the degree to which patients will express their perceptions of medications as more or less important to take as prescribed. We determined the frequency with which Veteran patients would explicitly identify one of their medications as âmost importantâ or âleast important.â</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients from ambulatory clinics at VA Boston from April 2010-July 2011. Patients answered two questions: âWhich one of your medicines, if any, do you think is the most important? (if none, please write ânoneâ)â and âWhich one of your medicines, if any, do you think is the least important? (if none, please write ânoneâ).â We determined the prevalence of response categories for each question. Our cohort of 104 patients was predominantly male (95%), with a mean of 9 medications (SD 5.7). Regarding their most important medication, 41 patients (39%) identified one specific medication; 26 (25%) selected more than one; 21 (20%) wrote ânoneâ; and 16 (15%) did not answer the question. For their least important medication, 31 Veterans (30%) chose one specific medication; two (2%) chose more than one; 51 (49%) wrote ânoneâ; and 20 (19%) did not directly answer the question.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Thirty-five percent of patients did not identify a most important medication, and 68% did not identify a least important medication. Better understanding of how patients prioritize medications and how best to elicit this information will improve patient-provider communication, which may in turn lead to better adherence.</p
FabricaciĂłn de materiales compuestos con microestructuras complejas y propiedades mejoradas a partir de suspensiones
11 pĂĄginas, 12 figuras.-- Trabajo presentado al XII Congreso Nacional de Propiedades MecĂĄnicas de SĂłlidos celebrado en ArĂĄnzazu-GuipĂșzcoa (España) en Septiembre de 2010.[EN]: Colloidal processing has demonstrated its
suitability for manufacturing ceramics with a great variety of shapes, sizes and complex microstructures. Colloidal methods require the preparation of stable, homogeneous suspensions of the material to be shaped, so
that the control of stability is fundamental.
cerĂĄmicos con una gran variedad de formas y Similarly, metal powders and ceramic-metal
mixtures can be succesfully processed by
colloidal routes if sedimentation, on one hand,
and dissolution and oxidation, on the other
hand, are avoided or controlled. In this work
some examples of the manufacture of ceramics
and composites through a colloidal approach
are shown, and the advantages of some simple,
economic and reliable shaping techniques are
discussed. It is demonstrated that denser and
more homogeneous materials with finer and
more uniform microstructures and hence, with
cerĂĄmicos y compuestos mediante una better behavioural properties, can be obtained.[ES]: El procesamiento coloidal ha demostrado su
eficacia en la fabricaciĂłn de materiales
cerĂĄmicos con una gran variedad de formas y
tamaños y microestructuras complejas. Los
métodos coloidales suponen la preparación de
suspensiones estables y homogéneas del material a conformar, por lo que el control de la
estabilidad es fundamental. De forma anĂĄloga,
los polvos metĂĄlicos y las mezclas cerĂĄmica-
metal se pueden procesar por vĂa coloidal si se
asegura la estabilidad y se evitan o controlan la
sedimentaciĂłn, por una parte, y la disoluciĂłn y oxidaciĂłn, por otra. En este trabajo se muestran algunos ejemplos de fabricaciĂłn de materiales cerĂĄmicos y compuestos mediante una aproximaciĂłn coloidal y se discuten las
ventajas de algunas técnicas de conformado
sencillas, econĂłmicas y reproducibles. Todo
ello contribuye a la obtenciĂłn de materiales
mås densos y homogéneos, con microestructuras mås finas y uniformes, y por
tanto, con mejores propiedades de comportamiento.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por los
Proyectos MAT2009-14369-C02-01 y PID600200-2009-5.Peer reviewe