Abstract:
Abstract
Introduction: Elderly patients are at risk of more than one disease and polypharmacy. When the
use of drugs increases drug related problems well increase due to drug interaction, poor
adherence, these lead to poor treatment outcome. These patients often excluded from
premarketing trials that can further increase the occurrence of drug related problems.
Objective: To identified and resolution of drug related problems and contributing factors among
elderly patients admitted to medical ward of northwest Ethiopia comprehensive specialized
hospitals from April 30, 2021, to July 30, 2021
Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted. A systematic sampling
technique was used. The identified drug related problem was recorded and classified using
Cipolle, and adverse drug reaction was assessed using Naranjo algorithm of adverse drug
reaction probability scale, and Medscape was used for drug-drug interaction. Data were cleaned,
coded, and entered into Epi data version 4.6.2 software and exported to STATA version 14.1 for
further analysis. Logistic regression was used and results were reported as odds ratios (ORs) with
95% Confidence intervals with P-value <0.05 statistically significant.
Result: A total of 389 study participants were included in the study. About 266 (68.4%) of the
participants had at least a single drug related problem. A total of 503 drug related problems were
identified with a mean of 1.32 (CI: 1.27 - 1.36) drug related problems per patient. The threeleading
categories
of
drug
related
problems
were
dose
too
high
108
(21.5%),
non-adherence
105
(20.9%),
and adverse drug reaction 96 (19.1%). Alcohol use (AOR= 2.2, 95CI%: 1.23 - 3.94),
source of the drug (AOR = 2.85, 95CI%: 1.63 - 4.98), length of hospitalization (AOR = 2.32,
95CI%: 1.37 - 3.95), number of comorbidities (AOR =1.48, 95CI%: 1.09 - 1.99), and
polypharmacy (AOR = 3.06, 95CI%: 1.72 - 5.46) were important risk factors for drug related
problems. From the intervention provided 84.7% were accepted by prescribers. Among the total
drug related problems 67.4 % of the problem was totally solved.
Conclusion: This study revealed that, DRPs were high among elderly patients admitted to
medical ward of northwest Ethiopia and the most prevalent were dose too high, non-adherence,
and adverse drug reaction. Comorbidity, length of hospitalization, ploy-pharmacy, payer, and
patients who drink alcohol were more likely to developed drug related problems. Special
preference ought to be given to elder patients who are at a higher risk of developing drug related
problems. Treatment optimizations were also done by clinical pharmacists and interventions
were well accepted by prescribers.
Key Words: Drug related problem, Elderly, Medical ward, Northwest, Ethiopia
