title: Potentially inappropriate medications use in community-based aged patients: a cross-sectional study using 2012 Beers criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) should be avoided by the aged population. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of PIMs among Lebanese aged outpatients using Beers criteria of 2012. The secondary objectives were to identify the correlates of the PIMs use and to compare the PIMs prevalence rates as per Beers criteria of 2003 and 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional observational study was conducted among aged outpatients of different accredited community pharmacies across Lebanon. Data were collected through a validated questionnaire. The Beers criteria of 2012 were used to evaluate PIMs. The association between PIMs used and independent variables were analyzed by logistic regression. The differences between PIMs use according to Beers criteria 2003 and 2012 were calculated using chi-squared and McNemar's tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 248 outpatients were analyzed. We identified 112 (45.2%) out of 248 patients taking PIMs. The leading classes of medications identified to cause PIMs were those acting on the central nervous system (71.4%). The factors associated with PIMs use were age, osteoporosis, Alzheimer/dementia, diabetes, and alcohol consumption. PIMs use increased significantly between Beers criteria 2003 and 2012 (Chi-squared test,P<0.001; McNemar's test,P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed a high prevalence of PIMs use in Lebanon, which is associated with various correlates. Education of health care providers and medication review should be considered to improve medication safety of older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rony
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zeenny
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wakim
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Yara-Mary
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kuyumjian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007861:Lebanon; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D000067561:Potentially Inappropriate Medication List; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Beers criteria; aged; inappropriate drug prescriptions; outpatients; potentially inappropriate medication