Background: The elderly, with multiple co-morbidities are exposed to indiscriminate drug prescribing, making them vulnerable the risk for potential drug-drug interactions. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with potential drug interactions in elderly outpatients.
Methodology: This hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled outpatients aged >60 years, and their prescriptions examined. Drug data was entered onto a software program to identify and grade potential drug interactions.
Results: Among 140 subjects studied, the prevalence of polypharmacy (>5 drugs/day) was 69.3% (average 6.4 drugs/person). The prevalence of potential drug interactions was 79.3%. Of 559 potential interactions identified, 33(5.9%) were major, 411 (73.5%) moderate and 115 (20.6%) minor. The number of total potential interactions ranged between 1 and 25 per subject (average =4/person). Patients on polypharmacy (p<0.005), with diabetes mellitus (p=0.045) and/or hypertension (p<0.05) and those reporting side-effects (p=0.039) had a higher prevalence of potential drug interactions. The most common drug and combination implicated in interactions were aspirin and aspirin with calcium carbonate.
Conclusion: The prevalence of potential drug interactions in the study population was high. There is a need to educate physicians regarding the potential for drug interactions and the dangers of polypharmacy to ensure better prescribing practice.
Impact Factor
2022: 6.012
This work is licensed under a