The study on effectiveness of interventions on controlling the continued usage of potentially inappropriate psychotropic medications in elderly patients presenting to the Geriatrics OPD in a tertiary care hospital in South India

Dr Aswin Rajeev; Dr George Paul; Dr Priya Vijayakumar

Volume : VIII, Issue : III, March - 2019

The study on effectiveness of interventions on controlling the continued usage of potentially inappropriate psychotropic medications in elderly patients presenting to the Geriatrics OPD in a tertiary care hospital in South India

Dr Aswin Rajeev, Dr George Paul, Dr Priya Vijayakumar

Abstract :

Background:. Prolonged use of psychotropic medications have got lot of adverse effects on the normal functioning of an individual. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of current psychotropic medication reconciliation practises existing in the geriatric medicine unit. Methods: Psychotropic medication prescriptions of newly presenting patients taking were analyzed. Medications were grouped into 2 classes: appropriate, inappropriate. Appropriate medications were continued and inappropriate medications were either stopped or substituted. The interventions done by the geriatric physicians were assessed. Results: Data was collected from 72 patients who used prescription psychotropic medications on regular basis. Out of 72 patients, 49 patients used appropriate medications and 23 patients used inappropriate medications. Conclusion: This study shows the importance of following medication reconciliation practises on regular basis for detecting inappropriate medications and modifying them