Abstract Submission for ESCP 2022 Symposium

Public Health

ESCP22SY-1405
PRESCRIBING PATTERNS OF POTENTIALLY INAPPROPRIATE MEDICATION (PIM) USE IN OLDER PATIENTS
IN EUROPE: THE RESULTS FROM THE EUROAGEISM H2020 PROJECT
Jovana Brkic* 1, Margita Drzaic2, Ingrid Kummer1, Maja Ortner Hadziabdic2, Sofija Sesto3, Oznur Altiparmak4, Veera
Bobrova5, Adriana Magatova1, Konstantin Tachkov6, Maria Kamusheva6, Guenka Petrova6, Pilar Modamio7, Eduardo
Marino7, Jindra Reissigova8, Daniela Fialova1, 9
1Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec

Kralove, Czech Republic, 2Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, 3Department of
Social Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia, 4
Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey, 5Institute of Pharmacy,
Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia, 6Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmacoeconomic,
Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, 7Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy Unit,
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Barcelona,
Spain, 8Department of Statistical Modelling, Institute of Computer Science, Czech Academy of Sciences, 9Department of
Geriatrics and Gerontology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Is this work original?: Yes

Please specify your abstract type: Research abstract
Background and Objective: According to published studies, potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use may have
serious negative consequences on the quality of life, health and socio-economic situation of older patients. As the issue
of PIM use is estimated to be still highly prevalent, we aimed to compare, in preliminary analyses, the magnitude and risk
factors of PIM prescribing in several European countries that have been involved in the Horizon 2020 EuroAgeism ESR7
project.
Method: The international cross-sectional European study was conducted in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia,
Serbia, Spain and Turkey. We assessed older patients (aged 65 years and older) visiting community pharmacies using a
standardized EuroAgeism H2020 research protocol based on comprehensive geriatric assessment. We used a combined
set of published European explicit criteria to compare the prevalence of PIM use − Norwegian General Practice (NORGEP
) criteria, Laroche's list, EU(7)-PIM list and PRISCUS list. The factors associated with PIM use were analyzed using
stepwise logistic regression (using R-software version 4.1.1 ). 
Main outcome measures: The main outcome measure is PIM use.
Results: We assessed 2865 older patients, most of whom were women, 61.2%. The prevalence of PIM use determined
by the combined set of criteria was 60.2% (ranging from 38.4% in the Czech Republic to 74.4 % in  Croatia). Risk factors
for PIM use were (p<0.05): higher age (75+ years) (OR=1.3; 95% CI (1.1-1.6)), polypharmacy (5+ medications) 6.3 (5.2-
7.5), depression 2.4 (1.6-3.5) and country of residence (reference − Czech Republic): Bulgaria 2.1 (1.6-2.7), Croatia 2.8
(2.0-3.9), Estonia 1.4 (1.1-1.9), Serbia 3.5 (2.5-4.7), Spain 2.5 (1.8-3.7), and Turkey 1.7 (1.3-2.3). 
Conclusion: PIM use in the community in Europe is prevalent, in over 60 % of older adults, and especially in older
patients of higher age, with depression and using multiple medications. Our results call for establishing appropriate
measures to change such prescribing practices and for developing and implementing relevant European policies.
References: The research group was supported by projects: EuroAgeism Horizon 2020 MSCF-ITN-764632,  Inomed
NO.CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/18_069/0010046, Cooperatio research program KSKF-I- Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University,
START/MED/093 CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/19_073/0016935, SVV260 551 and I-CARE4OLD H2020 -965341 projects.

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared