title: [Prevalence of inappropriate prescription to polymedicated patients over 65 years old in a rural health area].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe the inappropriate prescription to polymedicated patients over 65 years old in rural areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted in health care units in the Guadalhorce Valley, a rural area of Malaga, Spain. The district has a catchment population of about 144,993 inhabitants. This study is focused on the population that is older than 65 years, and who use 10 or more medications (4.344 patients). The study has as a primary variable: the rates of inappropriate prescription. These are classified using the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria, as well as the criteria of the strategy of the approach to polymedicated of the Andalusian Health System. An application was used to create individualised forms that identified inappropriate prescribing criteria. For each patient, we used variables, such as the unit, drug group, medications, dose, and use of the STOPP and Andalusian Health System criteria were recorded for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than one-third (35.5%) of all patients have inappropriate prescription, according to STOPP criteria, related to some health problem (direct problems). The large majority (94%) have potentially inappropriate prescription according to the criteria of the Andalusian Health System. If the criteria directly related to prescribing medication for people over 65 (general) is taken into account, 100% of patients have some form of inappropriate or potentially inappropriate prescribing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of polypharmacy and inappropriate prescription is a real problem in the population over 65 years old. An informatics tool provides us with the facilities to identify and approach inappropriate prescribing.
authors.affiliation: Enfermería, Área de Gestión Sanitaria Este de Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga, España. Electronic address: fjterol@gmail.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Terol-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Farmacia, Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Faus-Felipe
authors.affiliation: Farmacia, Distrito Sanitario Málaga-Guadalhorce, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díez-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Enfermería, Área de Gestión Sanitaria Este de Málaga, Rincón de la Victoria, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: del Rio-Urenda
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga. Departamento de Psiquiatría y Fisioterapia, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Labajos-Manzanares
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga. Departamento de Farmacología y Pediatría, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: González-Correa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D019338:Polypharmacy; D015995:Prevalence; D012423:Rural Health; D013030:Spain
keywords: Adverse drug event; Ancianos; Atención primaria; Criterios STOPP/START; Elderly; Polimedicación; Polypharmacy; Prescripción inapropiada; Primary care; STOPP/START criteria