COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL INAPPROPRIATE DRUG USE IN ELDERLY OUTPATIENTS USING THE BEERS 2019 AND TIME CRITERIA

Introduction: The potentially inappropriate medication list was established to reduce potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) and polypharmacy in elderly individuals. This study analyzed the drug use of geriatric patients in Turkey using the American 2019 Beers criteria and the Turkish Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly (TIME) criteria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive survey study was conducted using 385 randomized patients aged over 65 years who were treated at the Kutahya Health Sciences University's Evliya celebi Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine outpatient clinic. The patients included in the study were evaluated for PIMs according to the TIME and Beers criteria. Results: While 73.2% of the 385 patients included in the study were in the 65-74 age range, 26.8% were aged >= 75 years; 67.8% were female and 32.2% were male. The prevalence of PIMs determined by the TIME based criteria was 33%, which was almost 3-fold than detected using the Beers criteria (Beers: 10.9%, TIME-to-STOP: 33%). The mean number of PIMs according to the TIME-to-STOP criteria was significantly higher than that according to the Beers criteria (p=0.01). The rate of cases with PIMs according to the TIME based criteria was significantly higher than that according to the Beers criteria (p<0.05). A significant association was found between polypharmacy and PIMs for both the TIME-based and Beers criteria (p<0.05). Conclusion: The TIME-based criteria were more successful in evaluating PIMs among the elderly in Turkey. In addition, PIMs was significantly higher in polypharmacy patients.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the drug use of geriatric patients in Turkey using the American 2019 Beers criteria and the Turkish Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly (TIME) criteria. The findings showed that the TIME criteria were more successful in evaluating potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among the elderly in Turkey, and PIMs were significantly higher in polypharmacy patients.