View clinical trials related to Anticholinergic Adverse Reaction.
Filter by:Prescribing of potentially unsafe medications for older adults is extremely common; benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics are, for example, key drug classes frequently implicated in adverse health consequences for vulnerable older adults, such as confusion or sedation, leading to hospitalizations, falls, and fractures. Fortunately, most of these consequences are preventable. Physicians' lack of awareness of alternatives, ambiguous practice guidelines, and perceived pressure from patients or caregivers are among the reasons why these drugs are used more than might be optimal. Reducing inappropriate use of these drugs may be achieved through decision support tools for providers that are embedded in electronic health record (EHR) systems. While EHR strategies are widely used to support the informational needs of providers, these tools have demonstrated only modest effectiveness at improving prescribing. The effectiveness of these tools could be enhanced by leveraging principles of behavioral economics and related sciences.
Older people in Canada commonly take multiple medicines for their health conditions. Certain medicines, especially when taken together can lead to serious harms, such as falls. As people age and their health changes, medicines that were once helpful may become harmful. Healthcare professionals recognise that better tools and procedures are needed to make sure that people are taking the right medicines at the right time. A tool has been recently created, called the Drug Burden Index (DBI) Calculator©, to be used by hospital pharmacists. It helps them identify which medicines (and combinations of medicines) are harmful to older people. This tool also produces reports for the doctor and for the older person and their family. In this study, hospital pharmacists will use the DBI calculator© during their normal activities. The investigators will measure what effect this has on the medicines used and health outcomes in older adults. The investigators are also interested in what influences use and impact of the calculator. For example, there may be differences in use in older males compared to females or in the benefits seen in people living with frailty compared to those who are not frail. Use of the DBI calculator© may lead to improvements in how medicines are managed in hospital. This would mean less drug costs and drug side effects. Overall, the project may lead to improving the quality of life for older Canadians. Hypothesis: Implementation of a ward-based, pharmacist-led intervention utilizing the DBI Calculator© will lead to optimization of medications, reduced DBI and improved health outcomes in frail and non-frail older adults.