Abstract
Background: There is limited information available on the use of PIP
medication in older adults having psychiatric illness.
Objective: To determine the
prevalence of PIP medications, and assess its predictors in older adults
with psychiatric illness.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at a tertiary care
hospital on 456 patients of either sex, with a median age of 65 years
attending the psychiatry outpatient department. Evaluation of PIP
medication was done using Beers criteria 2019 and STOPP criteria 2015.
Bivariate logistic regression was used to find out the predictors of PIP
prescribing.
Results: Results of the study reflect that a staggering number of older
adults, (more than 91% and 73%) out of total of 456 patients were
prescribed with at least one PIP medication identified by Beers criteria
and STOPP criteria, respectively. Long-acting benzodiazepine (LABZD)
like clonazepam was identified as one of the most commonly prescribed
PIP medications by both set of criteria. Further analysis revealed that
older adults from rural background (Odds Ratio (OR) 2.60, 95%
Confidence Interval (CI) 1.20-5.65; P=0.015), TCA (OR 0.30, 95% CI
0.12- 0.75; P= 0.010), LABZD (OR 33.72, 95% CI 11.27-100.85;
P=<0.001), atypical antipsychotics (OR 22.35, 95% CI 5.31-
93.99; P= <0.001) use were most common predictors for PIP
medication prescribing.
Conclusion: The use of PIP medication is highly prevalent among older
adults according to Beers criteria and STOPP criteria. The study
reflects a more comprehensive and sturdy nature of Beer criteria as it
significantly detects more PIP medication than STOPP criteria.
Keywords: older adults, psychiatric illness, predictors, potentially
inappropriate psychotropic medication