Diagnosis, prescription drug use and potentially inappropriate medications among adults aged ≥50 years in a Nigerian Hospital

Abstract

Older adults are peculiar in diagnosis, medicine use and medication related problems. To categorize diagnosis, evaluate drug use and determine potentially inappropriate medications among ≥50 year olds, a 12 months retrospective audit was conducted using 300 medical files of adults aged 50 years and above attending outpatient clinics of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria. Information on sex, age, occupation, diagnosis and medicines prescribed was retrieved consecutively. Statistical Package for Social Science Version 20 was used for frequencies. Diagnosis was categorized using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) were evaluated using the 2012 American Geriatric Society Beers Criteria. A majority of encounters were females, 173 (57.6%); traders by occupation, 144 (48.2%) and 60-69 years old, 107 (35.6%). Based on ICD-10-CM, hypertension (I10) 53 (17.7%) and osteoarthritis (M17), 47 (15.7%), were the most prevalent. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99), 85 (28.3%), was the most occurring title. The average number of medicines was 1.99. Antihypertensives (65.3%) were the most prescribed medicines. Diazepam, 35 (11.5%), and naproxen, 15 (5%), were the most prescribed Potentially Inappropriate Medications. Although numerous diagnoses and co-morbidities were encountered, medicine use was adjudged optimal. It is recommended that benefits be weighed against risk before use of such medicines.

Keywords: Categorize, Diagnosis, ICD-10-M, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu