AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Background: In France the most recent data on drug use by the elderly living at home were published in 2000. Since then the available drugs and their use have changed.
Objective: We compared data collected in 2011 with the 2000 data to evaluate how drug use has changed in France.
Methods: The study analysed retrospectively the 2011 data collected prospectively in France from a sample of 600,000 people representative (1/97th) of the French population. All prescribed drugs reimbursed by the French national health insurance were recorded. Due to the reimbursement procedure the unit of analysis was the trimester. The drugs were coded using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification System.
Results: Data from 580,989 patients were analysed (133,411 (23.0 %) aged ≥60 years, 32,314 (5.6 %) ≥80 years). The percentage of patients who used medication increased from 55.9 % for patients in their fourth decade to 88.6 % for patients in their eighth decade, remained stable till 90 years of age and decreased to 26.3 % in centenarians. The median number of drugs prescribed was five (IQR: 3-8) in those aged under 80 years and ten (IQR: 7-14) in those aged over 80 years. Cardiovascular drugs were the most used, by 70.9, 78.1, and 69.6 % of patients aged 70-79, 80-89, and 90-99 years, respectively. Analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and antibiotics were prescribed in almost half of the patients.
Conclusion: Polypharmacy is common among the elderly in France. Although this may be explained by the multiple co-morbidities, our results suggest an overuse of drugs for which the risk-benefit ratio is unknown in these age ranges. Consequently, numerous elderly patients are exposed to iatrogenic risks without the certainty of therapeutic benefits.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4674528 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40801-015-0041-6 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Comparison Between Single- and Multi-slice Computed Tomography Body Composition Analysis in Patients With Oesophagogastric Cancer.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
February 2025
Clinical Surgery, University of Edinburgh, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Background: Single-slice computed tomography (CT) body composition has been studied extensively for prognostication in patients with cancer. New software packages can also provide multi-slice volumetric measurements, but the clinical utility of these remains under explored. This study aimed to evaluate the agreement between single- and multi-slice body composition analyses in patients with oesophagogastric cancer and to explore the association between these measures and overall survival.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Altered Mitophagy Are Key Pathways in Inclusion Body Myositis.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
February 2025
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Background: Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is the most prevalent muscle disease in adults for which no current treatment exists. The pathogenesis of IBM remains poorly defined. In this study, we aimed to explore the interplay between inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction in IBM.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSuperiority of Pathologic Lymph Node Ratio over Positive Lymph Node Count in Operated Early-Stage Breast Cancer.
Ann Ital Chir
December 2024
Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakır, Türkiye.
Aim: In early-stage breast cancer, the axillary lymph nodes play a crucial role in determining the prognosis of the disease. The rate of lymph node involvement might be a more valuable prognostic factor than the number of positive lymph nodes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether the lymph node ratio (LNR) is a superior prognostic indicator compared to the pathologic lymph node count in early-stage disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClinicopathologic Characteristics of Breast Cancer Patients Who Had a Pathologic Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Treatment.
Ann Ital Chir
December 2024
Department of General Surgery, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, 35620 Izmir, Turkey.
Aim: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The role of neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in conjunction with surgical intervention is becoming increasingly prominent in the field of oncology. NAT enhance the probability of breast-conserving surgery in cases of locally advanced breast cancer and in patients with metastatic or inoperable disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDrive Pressure-Guided Individualized Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in Traumatic Brain Injury Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Ann Ital Chir
December 2024
Department of Anesthesiology, Institute of Anesthesia, Emergency and Critical Care, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital Affiliated to Yangzhou University, 225002 Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Aim: Intraoperative lung-protective ventilation strategies (LPVS) have been shown to improve lung oxygenation and prevent postoperative pulmonary problems in surgical patients. However, the application of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)-based LPVS in emergency traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been thoroughly explored. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of drive pressure-guided individualized PEEP on perioperative pulmonary oxygenation, postoperative pulmonary complications, and recovery from neurological injury in patients with TBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!