Data on Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Discussed by Researchers at Seoul National University (Features of anticholinergic prescriptions and predictors of high use in the elderly: Population-based study)

2019 NOV 19 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at NewsRx Drug Daily -- Data detailed on Drugs and Therapies - Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety have been presented. According to news originating from Seoul, South Korea, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Older people are especially vulnerable to negative anticholinergic effects. Although anticholinergic drugs are commonly used among older people, drugs with potent antimuscarinic properties are considered as potentially inappropriate medications for older people.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Seoul National University, “Here, we examined features of anticholinergic use and investigated predictors for the high use of strong anticholinergic agents (ACs) in the elderly. A total of 388,629 Korean elderly aged 70 years were recruited from the 2012 National Health Insurance Service Elderly cohort database. The use of ACs in 2012 was quantitatively assessed by calculating standardized prescribed doses. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of the high use of strong ACs (90 doses). Almost half of the subjects (47.2%) used more than 15 doses of strong ACs during 2012. 17.0% of the subjects had an annual cumulative use of strong ACs over 90 doses. Morbidities such as depression (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.56, 2.48-2.63), Parkinson’s disease (2.41, 2.26-2.56), genitourinary diseases (2.12, 2.07-2.16), polypharmacy (3.28, 3.21-3.36), and low income (1.29, 1.25-1.33) were strong predictors of their high use. Antihistamines (chlorpheniramine) and antidepressants (amitriptyline) greatly contributed to the total prescription of strong ACs. Despite the vulnerability of older people to the adverse reactions of strong ACs, their use seems to be at a high level in terms of cumulative usage among some elderly. More attention should be paid to older people with predictive factors of high use of strong ACs. Key points Despite the susceptibility of older people to negative anticholinergic effects, high use of strong anticholinergic agents was is quite frequent; 17.0% of the elderly had an annual cumulative use of these drugs 90 doses. Parkinson’s disease, depression, genitourinary diseases, low income, and polypharmacy strongly predicted the high use of strong anticholinergic agents. A few strong anticholinergic agents, including antihistamines (chlorpheniramine) and antidepressants (amitriptyline), accounted for the majority of medications prescribed.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Understanding the predictors of their high use by medical practitioners may result as more appropriate anticholinergic medications.”

For more information on this research see: Features of anticholinergic prescriptions and predictors of high use in the elderly: Population-based study. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 2019;():. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety can be contacted at: John Wiley & Sons LTD, the Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester PO19 8SQ, W Sussex, England. (Wiley-Blackwell - http://www.wiley.com/; Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1557)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from K.I. Joung, Division of Epidemiology, Dept. of Public Health Science, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include J.Y. Shin and S.I Cho.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.4902. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety is: John Wiley & Sons LTD, the Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester PO19 8SQ, W Sussex, England.

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