Clinician and Family Caregiver Perspectives on Deprescribing Chronic Disease Medications in Older Nursing Home Residents Near the End of Life
ConclusionsFindings suggest a need for efforts to encourage communication with and education for family caregivers of residents with LLE about deprescribing, and to foster better collaboration among clinicians in CLC and non-CLC settings. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - April 4, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Lipid-Lowering Medications are Associated with Reduced Sarcopenia-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults with Hyperlipidemia
ConclusionsCollectively, statin usage was associated with NMJ degradation and reduced SarQoL. Statins should be cautiously prescribed in patients with sarcopenia with reduced QoL. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - April 2, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Patterns of Comorbidities and Prescribing and Dispensing of Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) Among Patients with Osteoarthritis in the USA: Real-World Study
ConclusionsThis study provides real-world evidence of the pattern of prescribing and dispensing of NSAIDs among patients with OA with and without CMCOI, which indicates that at least half of patients with OA in the USA have a coexisting condition. These conditions may increase the risk of side effects commonly associated with NSAIDs. Yet, at least 32% of these patients were prescribed and dispensed NSAIDs. These data support the importance of shared decision making between healthcare professionals and patients when considering NSAIDs for the treatment of OA in patients with NSAID-relevant coexisting medical conditions. (So...
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 23, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Older Canadians ’ Perceptions of the Safety, Effectiveness and Accessibility of Cannabis for Medicinal Purposes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis
ConclusionsOlder Canadians have a positive view of the role of cannabis in symptom management. The perceptions of cannabis safety and effectiveness were influenced by gender, cannabis use history and reasons for cannabis use. Healthcare professionals should leverage these perceptions when discussing cannabis with their older patient populations. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 19, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Cumulative Anticholinergic Burden and its Predictors among Older Adults with Alzheimer ’s Disease Initiating Cholinesterase Inhibitors
ConclusionFour out of five older adults with AD had some level of anticholinergic burden, with over 60% having moderate –high anticholinergic burden. Several predisposing, enabling, and need factors were associated with the cumulative anticholinergic burden. The study findings suggest a critical need to minimize the cumulative anticholinergic burden to improve AD care. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 11, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Real-World Experience of Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors in Older Patients with Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
ConclusionsICIs have demonstrated efficacy and have an acceptable safety profile among older patients with advanced CSCC, with comparable efficacy to what has been demonstrated in current clinical trials. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 6, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Safety and Efficacy of Cenobamate for the Treatment of Focal Seizures in Older Patients: Post Hoc Analysis of a Phase III, Multicenter, Open-Label Study
ConclusionsResults from this post hoc analysis showed notable rates of efficacy in older patients taking adjunctive cenobamate. Rates of several individual TEAEs occurred more frequently in older patients. Further reductions in concomitant ASMs may be needed in older patients when starting cenobamate to avoid adverse effects such as somnolence, dizziness, and falls.Clinical Trials RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02535091. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 6, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Management of Scleritis in Older Adults
This article critically examines the specific concerns for the use of these drugs in older patients and reviews the existing literature on their use in this specific cohort. (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - March 5, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The Effects of Pharmacological Urate-Lowering Therapy on Cardiovascular Disease in Older Adults with Gout
AbstractCardiovascular disease is an important cause of mortality in older patients. In addition to the traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease, hyperuricemia has been increasingly associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Uric acid itself has several unfavorable effects on the cardiovascular system, and hyperuricemia can lead to the development of gout. Gout is the most prevalent inflammatory rheumatic disease. Older patients with gout have an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to an increased prevalence of traditional risk factors, as well as the inflammatory burd...
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 28, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Rho Kinase Inhibitors: Strategies in Glaucoma Treatment in Older Adults
AbstractGlaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness which preferentially affects older individuals. No medications or therapies which are currently in our arsenal actually treat glaucoma itself. We know that intraocular pressure (IOP) is currently the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma. The primary treatments for glaucoma include medications, laser therapies, and surgical therapies. The Rho kinase inhibitors are the newest class of medications currently on the market and in development for topical IOP-lowering therapy. Studies have shown their ability to lower eye pressure individually and in combination wi...
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 28, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Comment on: “Polypharmacy and Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities: the GeroCovid Study”
(Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 28, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
The Difficulties of Managing Pain in People Living with Frailty: The Potential for Digital Phenotyping
AbstractPain and frailty are closely linked. Chronic pain is a risk factor for frailty, and frailty is a risk factor for pain. People living with frailty also commonly have cognitive impairment, which can make assessment of pain and monitoring of pain management even more difficult. Pain may be sub-optimally treated in people living with frailty, people living with cognitive impairment and those with both these factors. Reasons for sub-optimal treatment in these groups are pharmacological (increased drug side effects, drug –drug interactions, polypharmacy), non-pharmacological (erroneous beliefs about pain, ageism, bidir...
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 24, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Post-Stroke Depression in Older Adults: An Overview
AbstractDetailed data on post-stroke depression (PSD) in older adults are limited in spite of the high vulnerability of this population to stroke. In fact, PSD prevalence in older adults ranges from 16.0 to 43.9%; however, timing and instruments of evaluation often differ significantly across all available studies. The etiology, genetic and inflammatory factors, as well as structural brain alterations, are claimed as part of a multifaceted mechanism of action in PSD onset. Thus, the aim of this narrative review was to further elaborate on the prevalence, etiology, diagnosis, consequences and treatment of PSD in older adult...
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 23, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Impact of Immunosenescence in Older Kidney Transplant Recipients: Associated Clinical Outcomes and Possible Risk Stratification for Immunosuppression Reduction
AbstractThe number of older individuals receiving a kidney transplant as replacement therapy has significantly increased in the past decades and this increase is expected to continue. Older patients have a lower rate of acute rejection but an increased incidence of death with a functioning graft. Several factors, including an increased incidence of infections, post-transplant malignancy and cardiovascular comorbidity and mortality, contribute to this increased risk. Notwithstanding, kidney transplantation is still the best form of kidney replacement therapy in all patients with chronic kidney disease, including in older in...
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 22, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and the Risk of Cardiovascular Complications and Death in Older Adults with Diabetes: A Population-Based Cohort Study
ConclusionsOur findings confirmed an increased risk of CV events and all-cause mortality in a large population of older adults with DM exposed to PPIs. This could have an important impact on public health and costs for National Health Service, therefore a regular assessment of PPI appropriateness is recommended, particularly in this population.Graphical abstract (Source: Drugs and Aging)
Source: Drugs and Aging - February 17, 2024 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
