EPERCAS study (Strategies for Preventing Medication Administration Errors in Nursing Homes). Preparation of a list of strategies to prevent the most frequent medication administration errors in the residential care environment.

Medication administration errors are one of the most frequent types of errors. There are different safety guides and recommendations to prevent medication errors generally directed to the hospital environment. However, specific recommendations for the management process in the residential care environment are lacking.

Effectiveness of a Person-Centered Prescription Model in Hospitalized Older People at the End of Life According to Their Disease Trajectories and Frailty Index.

This study aimed to comparatively analyze the effect of the person-centered prescription (PCP) model on pharmacotherapeutic indicators and the costs of pharmacological treatment between a dementia-like trajectory and an end-stage organ failure trajectory, and two states of frailty (cut-off point 0.5). A randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients aged ≥65 years admitted to a subacute hospital and identified by the Necessity of Palliative Care test to require palliative care.

Application of a person-centered prescription model improves pharmacotherapeutic indicators and reduces costs associated with pharmacological treatment in hospitalized older patients at the end of life.

Objective: This study sought to investigate whether applying an adapted person-centered prescription (PCP) model reduces the total regular medications in older people admitted in a subacute hospital at the end of life (EOL), improving pharmacotherapeutic indicators and reducing the expense associated with pharmacological treatment.

Design: Randomized controlled trial. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.

Validation protocol of the LESS-CHRON deprescription tool in multimorbidity patients. LESS-CHRON-VALIDATION Project.

Objective: Deprescribing is considered one of the main strategies available for  preparing an individualized therapeutic plan in patients with multiple pathologies or complex chronic conditions. However, despite the practice has been in place for some years, there is a need for studies that support the achievement of satisfactory health outcomes, as well as tools that help implement deprescribing in routine clinical practice. The  bjective of this project is to analyze the impact of reducing polypharmacy,  through the LESS-CHRON deprescribing tool, on a population  of elderly polymedicated patients with multiple conditions.

Risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection and mortality in nursing homes.

Objective: The aim of this paper was to analyse the association of demographic, clinical and pharmacological risk factors with the presence of SARS-COV-2 virus infection, as well as to know the variables related to mortality from COVID-19 in nursing home (NH) residents.

Design: Retrospective case-control study. The study variables of those residents who acquired the infection (case) were compared with those of the residents who did not acquire it (control).

Psychotropic Drug Prescription in Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: To limit the introduction of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) into nursing homes, restrictive measures and social distancing were implemented; however, these caused an increase in affective disorders such as depression and anxiety and an alteration of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Therefore, it is expected that prescription trends of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes during the pandemic may have changed significantly.

Objective: This study aims to compare patterns of prescribing psychotropic drugs in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic to those of the pre-pandemic period.

Evaluation of antithrombotic treatment in institutionalized geriatric patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Objective: The goals of this study were to analyze the type of  ntithrombotic treatment administered to institutionalized patients with  nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (and any ensuing complications) and to  evaluate the degree of anticoagulation control achieved with vitamin K  antagonists. Method: This was a prospective observational follow-up study  carried out in seven elderly care facilities during 2016. Patients with  nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were evaluated for their antithrombotic  therapy and any embolic or hemorrhagic events, as well as for mortality.

[Prevalence of prescription of anticholinergic/sedative burden drugs among older people with dementia living in nursing homes].

Background And Objective: Dementia is one of the most frequent diseases in the elderly, being its prevalence of up to 64% in institutionalized people. In this population, in addition to antidementia drugs, it is common to prescribe drugs with anticholinergic/sedative burden that, due to their adverse effects, could worsen their functionality and cognitive status. The objective is to estimate the prevalence of the use of drugs with anticholinergic/ sedative burden in institutionalized older adults with dementia and to assess the associated factors.

Determination of the cross-contamination and validation of the cleaning process for an automated personalised dosing system.

Objective: To determine the degree of cross-contamination and to validate a cleaning process for an Automated Personalised Dosing System (APDS), respecting the permitted residue transfer limits.

Method: An analytical determination by high pressure liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry was performed for 11 drugs considered critical for their potential for contamination, toxicity (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) List 2016) and/or narrow therapeutic index. The test was carried out for three consecutive weeks, seven repetitions per week, in a state of maximum contamination and maximum cleanliness.

Patients in Nursing Homes: type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence and its pharmacologic therapy.

Objective: To determine type 2 diabetes mellitus prevalence, clinical features, specific pharmacologic treatment and problems faced in nursing home patients.

Method: Observational, cross-sectional study conducted in March 2019  in six nursing homes, examining persons diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Demographic, clinical and biochemical variables,  specific pharmacologic therapy and hypoglycemia events as well as falls  during the previous year were collected.

Medicine optimization strategy in an acute geriatric unit: The pharmacist in the geriatric team.

Aim: Older patients admitted to acute geriatric units (AGU) frequently use many medications and are particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events, so specific interventions in this setting are required. In the present study, we describe a new medicine optimization strategy in an AGU, and explore its potential in reducing polypharmacy and improving medication appropriateness.

Methods: The present prospective study included patients aged ≥75 years who were admitted to an AGU in a tertiary hospital.

The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes.

Objective: To compare the frequency and seriousness of notified dispensing errors in nursing homes when medication is dispensed manually versus automatically using a specifically selected automatic dispensing system.

Method: A pre-post retrospective observational study in 7 nursing homes. We  compare voluntarily notified dispensing errors in a manually dispensed weekly  system on the one hand (year 2013), with an Automated Tablet Dispensing and  Packaging System Xana4001U2 Tosho® for oral solid drugs used in combination  with a manual system for other drug forms (year 2015), on the other.

[Infection epidemiology in gerontology centres].

Introduction: Infection processes in gerontology centres (GC) are one of the main causes of mortality and aggravation of concomitant chronic diseases. An epidemiological surveillance system was set up to find out their magnitude and distribution.

Material And Methods: A prevalence study was conducted during the years 2006-2009 in 4 GCs of the Matia Foundation.