EC Nursing and Healthcare

Background: Drug therapy in the elderly needs an emphasis on the age related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics profiles of drugs. As age increase, people usually exposed to more health and medications related problems.

Objective: This study aimed to assess drug related problems among older patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Method: A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among 236 chronic elderly patients who were on follow up-care from 25 June 2020 – 25 September 2020. Data collection was done through patient interview and medical chart review. Epi data version 4.2.0.0 and statistical package for social science version 23 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Descriptive statistics was employed to describe percentage and frequencies. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regressions were used to declare association between independent variables and dependent variables.

Results: More than two-thirds of patients exposed for comorbid conditions. In this study, 740 medications were prescribed; an average of 3.14 ± 1.658 per patient. Fifty-six percent of patients encountered at least one drug related problems. The average number of drug related problems per patient was 0.87. Drug interaction (42.4%) followed by non-compliance (26.3%) and needs additional drug therapy (14.2%) were major drug related problems. Being Employed (AOR: 0.214, 95%CI: 0.054, 0.857), number of drugs (AOR: 10.6, 95%CI: 3.363, 33.697), and having comorbid conditions (AOR: 3.682, 95%CI: 1.809, 7.494) were significantly associated with the occurrence of drug related problems.

Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of drug related problems encountered in older chronic patients. Number of disease and number of drugs contribute for the occurrence of drug related problems. Therefore, special attention should be given for this group to reduce drug related problems.

Keywords: Drug Related Problems; Drug Interaction; Older

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