Evaluating Fracture-Related Expenses and Health Care Resource Utilization Among Post-Menopausal Women in the Us Medicaid Population

Abstract

Objectives: Use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) among the elderlyis a serious public health problem because it is intrinsically linked to increasedmorbidity and mortality, causing the high costs to public health systems. Objectivesof this study were to determine the prevalence and predictors of PIM prescribingin elderly inpatients using STOP and START criteria Methods: The prospectiveobservational study was carried at a private tertiary care hospital. Prescriptionsof elderly inpatients aged 60 years and above were collected and analyzed. PIMswere identified with the help of STOP and START criteria. Predictors associatedwith use of PIMs were identified by bivariate and multivariate logistic regressionanalysis. Results: The results were based on data of 60 patients. More than half(56%) were males and 50% were aged between 60–69 years with a mean averageage of 69 years. Mean number of diagnoses and medications were two and nine,respectively. A total of 18 (30%) patients were prescribed with at least 1 PIM accordingSTOP Criteria. Most commonly prescribed PIMs were systemic corticosteroids (29%)followed by theophyline (18%) and betablockers (10%). On multivariate regression,important predictors for PIM prescribing were found to polypharmacy, number ofdiagnoses. Co nclusions: The results show that PIMs prescribing is high in Indianelderly inpatients STOP and START criteria, it is more effective in identifying thePIMs. This study is ongoing and we will present the data upto 250 patents beforethe presentation