Beta Amyloid Peptide: Research Paper : Risk factors associated with drug therapy among elderly people with Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional study

Risk factors associated with drug therapy among elderly people with Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Improving knowledge and establishing strategies and policies for better patient safety are worldwide priorities.

Objective: To evaluate drug safety among elderly people with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Design and setting: Cross-sectional study among elderly people within the National AD Assistance Protocol (PCDTDA/MS) who were living in the municipality of Araraquara, Brazil, in 2017.

Methods: Through interviews conducted with relatives/caregivers of elderly people with diagnoses of AD, the following variables were evaluated: comorbidities, drug therapy used, use of potentially inappropriate medications for the elderly (PIMs), presence of potentially inappropriate interactions (PIIs) and medication regimen complexity index. Factors associated with AD severity were also evaluated. Multivariate and simple logistic regressions were applied.

Results: 143 elderly people enrolled in PCDTDA/MS were analyzed. The majority were women (67.1%); assisted only through the public healthcare system (75.5%); polymedicated (57.4%); using at least one PIM (63.6%); presenting at least one PII (63.6%); and under drug therapy of low to medium complexity (92.2%). No semi-annual monitoring of the effectiveness of PCDTDA/MS drugs was identified. The proportion using AD drug therapy at daily doses differing from those recommended by the World Health Organization was 75.6%. However, these doses were not associated with drug risk.

Conclusion: The data from this study raise the hypothesis that use of polypharmacy might show a correlation with severity of AD. The drug safety risk may be associated with comorbidities of the metabolic syndrome, anxiety and off-label use of PIMs, such as risperidone and quetiapine, and benzodiazepines (i.e. clonazepam and flunitrazepam).

This article originally appeared in the "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32578741/" and has their copyrights. We do not claim copyright on the content. This information is for research purposes only. This Blog is made available by publishers for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding , not to provide specific advice. By using this blog site you understand that there is no client relationship between you and the Blog publisher. The Blog should not be used as a substitute for competent research advice.