Evaluating the Usefulness of Online Tools for Detecting Inappropriate Prescriptions in the Geriatric Population at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Central India: A Retrospective Study

The elderly population differs from adults because they have numerous comorbid conditions and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles. The study aimed to detect inappropriate prescriptions in elderly patients using online tools in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Central India. This study was carried out in elderly inpatients who were prescribed more than five drugs to determine the inappropriate medications. For this, online tools such as MedStopper, Deprescribing.org and Anticholinergic Burden Calculator were used. Out of 291 drugs prescribed, 28 (10%) were identified as inappropriate using these online tools. Proton pump inhibitors were the most common potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) (73%) detected using MedStopper and Deprescribing.org. There was a total of 15 drugs identified as having high anticholinergic risk by the Anticholinergic Burden software. Of which, furosemide, alprazolam and digoxin were identified exclusively by this online software with appropriate substantiating evidence. This study provides insight into how to remain cautious while prescribing drugs to elderly patients and stimulates physicians to utilize the available tools in routine practice. By adequate compilation of many such Indian studies on the elderly population, it will be possible to develop guidelines for prescribing in the elderly Indian population.