EVALUATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF DEPRESCRIBING AMONG THE GERIATRIC POPULATION OF A BELGIAN GENERAL HOSPITAL

Objectives
To evaluate objective and subjective motivations for deprescribing in geriatric population.

Methods :
We quantified data collected through two studies :
1. Retrospective observational study on medical records of patients hospitalized in the geriatric units of the CHR Haute Senne during January 2023 : using the STOPP/START VERSION.2 tool, we identified for each patient, at hospital admission, any medications for which deprescription would be indicated.
2. DI-Prescrire study « Development and validation of a health behavior theory-based questionnaire to examine the willingness of older adults and informal caregivers to deprescribe » : a 57-question questionnaire was submitted to patients of the geriatric day hospital at CHR Haute Senne over the period 15th February 2024 to 11th April 2024. Inclusion criteria were patients over 60 years, taking at least 5 medications regularly and having at least one chronic condition.

Results
1. Data were collected on 78 patients. The number of medications per patient at hospital admission was 8,9 ± 3,3 (mean ± SD) but, interestingly, deprescription was recommended in 74,4% of patients.
2. Responses were obtained from 24 patients. The number of medications per patient was 7,2 ± 2,3 (mean ± SD ; 22 respondents) and most notably, 21 out of 24 patients reported feeling able to stop one of their medications which, on the advice of their doctor, would no longer be necessary.

Conclusion
This work, targeting the geriatric population, highlights probable over-prescription at hospital admission and indicates that most patients would be favorable to a deprescription on medical advice.