Inappropriate use of medicines by elderly is lower in UK than in other European countries
Inappropriate use of medicines by elderly patients who are cared for in their own homes is lower in the UK than in many other European countries, a retrospective study of 2,707 elderly patients reveals.
Combining three models used to define inappropriate use of medicines,
researchers found that across the 11 countries studied 19.8 per cent
of patients had used at least one medicine that was inappropriate for
them.
The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use in this group
of patients varied greatly between European countries, with the Czech
Republic having the highest levels (41.1 per cent) and Denmark having
the lowest (5.8 per cent). The UK had relatively low levels compared
with much of Europe, at 14.2 per cent.
The researchers suggest that differences between European countries may
be a consequence of different regulatory measures, clinical practices
or inequalities in socioeconomic background. They say that drug policies
across Europe need to be harmonised to ensure that prescribing for older
patients is consistent (JAMA 2005;293:1348). |
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