Evaluation of prescribing pattern and errors among elderly outpatients in Bangladesh by using AGS beers criteria

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to assess the prescribing pattern and evaluate potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) use among elderly outpatients in Bangladesh by using American Geriatric Society Beers criteria 2019. This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the elderly outpatients’ (65 years and older) prescriptions collected from urban and rural areas of Bangladesh. In this study, 600 prescriptions of elderly outpatient (age ≥ 65) were collected. Data analysis was done by Python software and prescriptions were evaluated by Beers criteria 2019 to identify potentially inappropriate medicines. PIMs were detected in 136 prescriptions (22.7%). The most commonly prescribed PIMs were NASAID (8.30%), clonazepam (4%) and amitriptyline (2.8%). The results identified high prevalence of PIMs in geriatric outpatients in both rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. Future research using other parameters and approaches for rationing the use of PIMs in geriatric communities is necessary to observe the prescribing method in Bangladesh.