Purpose
STOPP and START criteria identify potential inappropriate prescribing and potential prescribing omissions. It is unknown whether STOPP/START criteria identify all drug-related problems. This study aims to determine to what extent STOPP/START correspond to drug-related problems (DRPs) identified during a full clinical medication review.
Methods
In 13 Dutch community pharmacies, 457 community-dwelling patients aged ≥65 years and using ≥5 drugs, received a full clinical medication review. Community pharmacists identified potential DRPs and recommendations by implicit criteria. After completion, all identified DRPs and recommendations were compared with STOPP and START criteria by investigators.
Results
The total number of potential DRPs identified by community pharmacists was 1656 in 457 patients (mean 3.6 per patient). Eighty-one percent of DRPs were not associated with STOPP/START criteria. The percentage of START criteria present in identified DRPs was higher than the percentage of STOPP criteria (13 vs. 5.7%, p < 0.01). The implementation rate for recommendations associated with STOPP criteria was higher compared to recommendations associated with START criteria (56 vs. 39%, p < 0.01). Both implementation rates of STOPP and START recommendations were lower compared to recommendations not associated with STOPP/START criteria (66%, p = 0.047 and p < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusions
This study shows that the majority of drug-related problems of community-dwelling older patients was not associated with STOPP/START criteria. These findings suggest that application of STOPP/START criteria in full clinical medication review should preferably be combined with implicit criteria.
Overview publication
Title | Majority of drug-related problems identified during medication review are not associated with STOPP/START criteria. |
Date | October 1st, 2015 |
Issue name | European journal of clinical pharmacology |
Issue number | v71.10:1255-62 |
DOI | 10.1007/s00228-015-1908-x |
PubMed | 26249851 |
Authors | |
Keywords | Drug-related problems, Elderly, Inappropriate prescribing, Medication review, Primary care, STOPP/START criteria |
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