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Adverse drug events leading to emergency department visits in elderly: the role of inappropriate prescription

Overview of attention for article published in Einstein (São Paulo), June 2010
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Title
Adverse drug events leading to emergency department visits in elderly: the role of inappropriate prescription
Published in
Einstein (São Paulo), June 2010
DOI 10.1590/s1679-45082010ao1473
Pubmed ID
Authors

José Marcelo Farfel, Tarso Augusto Duenhas Accorsi, Marcelo Franken, Sueli Pinto Doudement, Mariane Moran, Mauro Iervolino, Antônio Silva Bastos

Abstract

Adverse drug reactions are more incident among the elderly and are frequently associated to inappropriate prescription for this group. The objective of the current study was to investigate the incidence and the characteristics of emergency department visits, related to inappropriate prescription, at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. Patients aged 60 years or older, admitted to the emergency department at Unidade Avançada Ibirapuera of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, were included in the study. Potentially inappropriate medication for the elderly was evaluated using updated 2003 Beers criteria. Over a period of 6 months, 214 individuals were included in the study, being 53.7% male. The mean age was 70.8 years (60-107). A total of 48 registries of inappropriate prescription were recorded in 42 patients (19.6% of sample). An emergency visit related to adverse drug event was verified in 27 individuals (12.5% of the sample). From these patients, 34.5% were admitted to the emergency department because of an adverse event caused by an inappropriate medication. Inappropriate prescription is frequent among elderly patients admitted to emergency department. A surveillance system and a program to educate physicians on the most recent criteria of appropriate prescription may help reducing emergency visits and adverse drug events in the elderly population.

Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 19 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Brazil 4 21%
United Kingdom 1 5%
Unknown 14 74%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Master 3 16%
Student > Postgraduate 3 16%
Student > Doctoral Student 2 11%
Researcher 2 11%
Student > Ph. D. Student 1 5%
Other 1 5%
Unknown 7 37%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 7 37%
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science 2 11%
Nursing and Health Professions 1 5%
Arts and Humanities 1 5%
Unknown 8 42%