Issues/Background
Medication in the
older population is a complex field. The aging process is associated with
physiological changes such as a decrease in hepatic clearance, a decrease in
glomerular filtration capacity, loss of total muscle mass and impaired
homeostatic mechanisms. These changes have an impact on the pharmacodynamics and
–kinetics, which increases the risk of adverse drug reactions in older people.
Medication for the older population is becoming a noticeable problem as
the average life expectancy is increasing. The prevalence of older persons with
multiple (chronic) diseases, increases the chance of poly-pharmacy. Further,
older persons are frequently admitted to hospitals; this increases the
complexity of handling drugs to older people between the primary and secondary
sector.
Main Focus
Our main focus has been
on Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIMs), which are drugs which carry
more risks than benefits for older people. PIMs and poly-pharmacy expose older
people to a greater risk of adverse drug reactions.
Further we have
looked at the implementation of Shared Medication Card (in Danish: KMK - Fælles
Medicin Kort), which is a new computer system to handling medicine.
Ongoing studies
Implementering af FMK – To skridt
frem og et tilbage, Selina Christensen, Line Due Jensen, Kirsten Laila Vinding
and Janne Petersen [Manuscript in preparation]
Potentially Inappropriate
Medications (PIM) from Specialist Doctors point of view, Line Due Jensen [Study
under construction]
Finished studies
Potentially
inappropriate medication related to weakness in older acute medical patients.
Jensen LD, Andersen O, Hallin M, Petersen J. Int J Clin Pharm. 2014
Jun;36(3):570-80
Problems Using FMK at Discharge Seen From a Hospital
Doctors’ Perspective. Title in Danish: Problemer ved brugen af det Fælles
Medicinkort (FMK) ved udskrivelse set fra hospitalslægers perspektiv. Selina
Christiansen [Master Thesis] University of Copenhagen, Completion date: 14.
September 2012