Aim: To compare the prevalence in residential aged care (RAC) of preventative and potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in those who died within 12 months versus those alive after 12 months.
Methods: Firstly, a cross-sectional survey of 6196 people living in RAC in Auckland. Secondly, a research physician searched electronic hospital records in one District Health Board for a sub-sample (n = 222) of these residents. Classes of medications and dates of death were obtained from the Ministry of Health databases. Those who died versus those alive at 12 months were compared.
Results: Over half of the 6196 participants received antihypertensives and/or antiplatelet agents. Cardiovascular preventative medications were significantly more common in those who died within 12 months. Seventy percent in high-level care received psychotropics. PIMs were commonly used.
Conclusions: Use of preventative medications is common in RAC, especially during the last year of life. Psychotropics are very commonly used, despite being potentially inappropriate.
Keywords: frail elderly; homes for the aged; inappropriate prescribing; palliative care; polypharmacy.
© 2015 AJA Inc.