Comparison of the 22nd World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines with the explicit criteria for the treatment of chronicity in elderly patients

• Published in: European journal of hospital pharmacy. Science and practice Vol. 30; no. e1; pp. e66 - e69
• Main Authors: Fernández Fernández, Ramon, Moreno Gil, Queralt, Bessat, Cécile, Roman, Pablo, Sevilla-Sanchez, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Journal Publishing Group 01.03.2023; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Aged; Alzheimer's disease; Constipation; DRUG-RELATED SIDE EFFECTS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS; Drugs; Frailty; GERIATRICS; Health Care Economics and Organizations; Humans; Inappropriate Prescribing - prevention & control; Older people; Original Research; Patients; Polypharmacy; Potentially Inappropriate Medication List; PUBLIC HEALTH; Safety; PUBLIC HEALTH; DRUG-RELATED SIDE EFFECTS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS; Health Care Economics and Organizations; Safety; GERIATRICS
• ISSN: 2047-9956; 2047-9964
• DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2022-003237

ObjectivesThis study analysed whether the Model List of Essential Medicines is suitable for elderly patients. Furthermore, it investigated the specific issues that should be considered when prescribing a drug and which drugs should be added to improve the list according to the explicit criteria guidelines.MethodsA qualitative descriptive review was performed comparing the explicit criteria guidelines of Beers 2019, Laroche, McLeod, NORGEP, PRISCUS, STOPP/START 2014 and Winit-Watjana with the 22nd edition of the Model List of Essential Medicines.ResultsThe Model List of Essential Medicines has 458 drugs. Depending on the explicit criteria considered, there were different numbers of potentially inappropriate medications and potential prescribing omissions. When all explicit criteria were combined, a total of 73 medicines were classified as potentially inappropriate. Using the STOPP/START criteria, 46 potential prescribing omissions were detected. According to these explicit criteria, the Model List of Essential Medicines appeared to lack some medicines.ConclusionsExplicit criteria guidelines have different potential for detecting potentially inappropriate medications. Our findings suggest that some drugs should be added to the next edition of the Model List of Essential Medicines to cover some therapeutic gaps.