title: [Characteristics of potentially inappropriate prescribing of drugs in elderly polypathological patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in elderly polypathological patients (PP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicentre observational, prospective study of 672 patients aged 75 years and older hospitalised in Internal Medicine between April 2011 and March 2012. The Beers, STOPP-START and ACOVE criteria were used to detect potentially inappropriate prescribing and the results of PP and non-PP patients were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 672 patients included, 419 (62%) were polypathological, of which 89.3% met PIP criteria versus 79.4% of non-polypathological patients (p <0.01). 40.3% of polypathological patients met at least one Beers criteria, 62.8% at least one STOPP criteria, 62.3% at least one START criteria and 65.6% at least one ACOVE criteria. The rate of potentially inappropriate prescribing was higher in polypathological patients regardless of the tool used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the high rate of potentially inappropriate prescribing in polypathological patients, strategies to improve prescribing adequacy must be developed.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España. Electronic address: Carla.rc1985@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Paula Carlota
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rivas-Cobas
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Duque
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital San Juan de Dios del Aljarafe, Bormujos, Sevilla, España.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gómez Hernández
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital General Juan Ramón Jiménez, Huelva, España.
authors.forename: Juana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agustí
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Formiga
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López-Soto
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Olga H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: San-José
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D000076322:Multimorbidity; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Adecuación; Adequacy; Edad avanzada; Elderly; Inappropriate prescription; Multimorbidity; Multimorbilidad; Pluripatología; Polifarmacia; Polypathology; Polypharmacy; Potentially inappropriate prescribing; Prescripción inapropiada; Uso inadecuado de medicamentos