Biomaterial Database

Drug-Related Problems in Elderly Patients Attended to by Emergency Services. 2023

Jesús Ruiz-Ramos, and Adrián Plaza-Diaz, and Cristina Roure-I-Nuez, and Jordi Fernández-Morató, and Javier González-Bueno, and María Teresa Barrera-Puigdollers, and Milagros García-Peláez, and Nuria Rudi-Sola, and Marta Blázquez-Andión, and Carla San-Martin-Paniello, and Caterina Sampol-Mayol, and Ana Juanes-Borrego

Pharmacy Department, Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.

The progressive aging and comorbidities of the population have led to an increase in the number of patients with polypharmacy attended to in the emergency department. Drug-related problems (DRPs) have become a major cause of admission to these units, as well as a high rate of short-term readmissions. Anticoagulants, antibiotics, antidiabetics, and opioids have been shown to be the most common drugs involved in this issue. Inappropriate polypharmacy has been pointed out as one of the major causes of these emergency visits. Different ways of conducting chronic medication reviews at discharge, primary care coordination, and phone contact with patients at discharge have been shown to reduce new hospitalizations and new emergency room visits due to DRPs, and they are key elements for improving the quality of care provided by emergency services.