title: Using two tools to identify Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM) in elderly patients in Southern Chile.
abstract: To assess and compare the prevalence of prescribing of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) identified using the Beers and STOPP criteria; and to determine the clinical variables related with the prescription of PIMs in older adults.
  
  
  
  An observational study of 250 patients aged 65 years or older was conducted in a large teaching hospital. Beers (2012) and STOPP (2008) criteria were utilized to identify PIMs. Data on age, sex, admission and discharge dates, diagnoses, and medications prescribed were obtained from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine patient variables related with the prescription of PIMs.
  
  
  
  Using Beers criteria, 375 PIMs were identified in 198 patients. 32% of these patients were prescribed one PIM, 20% were prescribed two PIMs, and 48% were prescribed more than two PIMs. Using STOPP criteria, 148 PIMs were identified in 120 patients. 41% of these patients were prescribed one PIM, 51% were prescribed two PIMs, and 8% were prescribed more than two PIMs. An association between PIM prescribing and polypharmacy was detected with both criteria. After adjusting for confounding variables, the prescription of Beers-identified PIMs was significantly associated with patients older than 80 (OR: 2.99; 95% CI: 1.13-7.89) and with length of hospital stay of more than 15days (OR: 2.78; 95% CI: 1.20-6.44).
  
  
  
  These two criteria showed that the prescription of PIMs is prevalent in hospitalized elderly patients. It may be beneficial to educate healthcare teams about these criteria to reduce the prescription of PIMs.
authors: Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: camiarellano@udec.cl.
authors: Camila
authors: C
authors: Arellano
authors: Chief Pharmacy Unit, Hospital Las Higueras, Talcahuano, Chile. Electronic address: gabriela.saldivia@redsalud.gov.cl.
authors: Gabriela
authors: G
authors: Saldivia
authors: Hospital Las Higueras, Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: piacordova@udec.cl.
authors: Pía
authors: P
authors: Córdova
authors: Hospital Las Higueras, Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: pfernand@udec.cl.
authors: Pola
authors: P
authors: Fernández
authors: Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: felimora@udec.cl.
authors: Felipe
authors: F
authors: Morales
authors: Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: marlopez@udec.cl.
authors: Mariela
authors: M
authors: López
authors: Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Concepción, Chile. Electronic address: lorenzovilla@udec.cl.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Villa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002677:Chile; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D019338:Polypharmacy; D000067561:Potentially Inappropriate Medication List / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Comorbidities; Elderly; Polypharmacy; Potentially inappropriate medications