‘Carefully document medications’
“This study identifies potentially inappropriate medication use in a group of older people living with HIV who are particularly vulnerable to it at an earlier age because of their medical complexity or frailty than perhaps healthy older adults,” Adrian Wagg, MD, professor of healthy aging in the department of medicine at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, told this news organization.
The study emphasizes the importance of careful documentation of medications that the patient is taking at every clinical visit, he said.
“Make sure you carefully document medications which are taken whenever you see the individual. Also try to limit the number of prescribers, because we know multiple prescribers are associated with greater likelihood of inappropriate prescribing,” Dr. Wagg said.
The move to wean patients from inappropriate medications is gaining momentum, he added.
“There is a huge movement now around actively deprescribing medications which are either no longer indicated or potentially of little benefit, given remaining life expectancy,” said Dr. Wagg. Drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, hypnotics, unrequired antidepressants, and benzodiazepines are the first targets for elimination, he concluded.
The study was funded by the University of Calgary. Dr. McMillan and Dr. Wagg reported no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.