Invited Commentary

Commentary on "Rules for Improving Pharmacotherapy in Older Adult Patients: Part 1 (Rules 1-5)"

Authors: Paul R. Casner, MD, PhD

Abstract

It is not unusual for a clinician who is seeing an older patient for the first time to be confronted with a bagful of medications that the patient is taking. The busy clinician may wonder how he or she will be able to finish the visit in the allotted time. In fact, the medication list may not even be reviewed: more than 30% of older adults have reported never discussing their medications with their doctors in the previous 12 months.1 Even when physicians have documented patients’ medications in the medical record, more than 75% of the record exhibited discrepancies between the record and what the older patient actually was taking.2

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References

1. Wilson IB, Schoen C, Newman P, et al. Physician-patient communication about prescription medication nonadherence: a 50-state study of America’s seniors. J Gen Intern Med 2007;22:6-12.
 
2. Kaboli PJ, McClimon BJ, Hoth AB, et al. Assuring the accuracy of computerized medication histories. Am J Manag Care 2004;10:872-877.
 
3. Qiuping G, Dillon CF, Burt VL. Prescription drug use continues to increase: U.S. prescription drug data for 2007Y2008. NCHS Data Brief 2010;42:1-8.
 
4. Wooten JM. Rules for improving pharmacotherapy in older adult patients: part 1 (rules 1-5). South Med J 2015;108:97-104.
 
5. Stoehr GP, Ganguli M, Seaberg EC, et al. Over-the-counter medication use in an older rural community: the MoVIES Project. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997;45:158-165.
 
6. Higashi T, Shekelle PG, Solomon DH, et al. The quality of pharmacologic care for vulnerable older patients. Ann Intern Med 2004;140: 714-720.reatment. J Clin Oncol 2005;23:7820-7826.