UNASSIGNED: For people with type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular conditions, deprescribing of glucose-lowering, blood pressure-lowering and/or lipid-lowering medication is recommended when they age, and their health status deteriorates. So far, deprescribing rates of these so-called cardiometabolic medications are low. A review of challenges and interventions addressing these challenges in this population is pertinent.
UNASSIGNED: We first provide an overview of relevant deprescribing recommendations. Next, we review challenges for healthcare providers (HCPs) to deprescribe cardiometabolic medication and provide insight in the patient and caregiver perspective on deprescribing. We summarize findings from research on implementing deprescribing of cardiometabolic medication and reflect on strategies to enhance deprescribing. We have used a combination of methods to search for relevant articles.
UNASSIGNED: There is a need for rigorous development and evaluation of intervention strategies aimed at proactive deprescribing of cardiometabolic medication. To address challenges at different levels, these should be multifaceted interventions. All stakeholders must become aware of the relevance of deintensifying medication in this population. Education and training for HCPs and patients should support patient-centered communication and shared decision-making. Development of procedures and tools to select eligible patients and conduct targeted medication reviews are important for implementation of deprescribing in routine care.

BACKGROUND: Collaboration between physicians and pharmacists facilitates the conduct of medication optimisation efforts. In the context of deprescribing, pharmacists\' roles are often described as making deprescribing recommendations to physicians. Little is known about factors associated with pharmacists\' willingness to make deprescribing recommendations and their interprofessional collaboration with physicians in Swiss primary care settings.
OBJECTIVE: To explore pharmacists\' perspectives on medication optimisation and deprescribing in older adults, and their preferences for interprofessional collaboration in Swiss primary care settings.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 1000 pharmacist members of the Swiss Pharmacists Association pharmaSuisse was invited to participate in a survey on medication optimisation, deprescribing, and interprofessional collaboration. The survey contained three case vignettes of multimorbid patients with polypharmacy aged ≥ 80 years old, with different levels of dependency in activities in daily living (ADL) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). For each case vignette, pharmacists were asked if and which medications they would deprescribe. We calculated proportions of pharmacists\' willingness to deprescribe by case vignette and performed a multilevel logistic regression to assess associations between CVD, ADL, and willingness to deprescribe.
RESULTS: One hundred thirty-eight (14%) pharmacists responded to the survey: 113 (82%) were female, their mean age was 44 years (SD = 11), and 66% (n = 77) reported having never received any specific training on how to conduct structured medication reviews. Eighty-three (72%) pharmacists reported to be confident in identifying deprescribing opportunities. All pharmacists were willing to deprescribe ≥ 1 medication in all vignettes. Patients with CVD were at lower odds of having medications deprescribed (OR = 0.27, 95%CI 0.21 to 0.36). Willingness to deprescribe was lower with higher dependency in ADL (medium versus low dependency: OR = 0.68, 95%CI 0.54 to 0.87, high versus low dependency: OR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.56 to 0.91). However, the effect of dependency in ADL on willingness to deprescribe was significantly modified by the history of CVD. One hundred five pharmacists (97%) reported to interact with physicians to clarify questions regarding prescriptions at least once a week and 88 (81%) wished to be more involved in deprescribing and medication review.
CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists were willing to make deprescribing suggestions for older patients with polypharmacy, but two-thirds reported having received no formal training on how to perform structured medication reviews. Pharmacists would like to be more involved in the process of medication review and deprescribing, which should be leveraged in the context of Swiss primary care settings.

This study investigated whether and how medication reviews (MRs) conducted by pharmacists and general practitioners (GPs) with patient involvement can be performed on the island of Aruba (Dutch Caribbean). In this mixed-methods pilot study (both qualitative and quantitative), constructive and observational methodologies were combined. Healthcare providers\' and patients\' views on MRs and aspects of Aruban healthcare and culture relevant to MRs were examined. These insights were used to develop a protocol for conducting and implementing MRs in Aruba. Surveys were distributed and semi-structured interviews were held among Aruban community pharmacists and GPs, and a pilot program was created in which MRs were carried out with four Aruban patients and their GPs. According to the included healthcare providers, the main purpose of MRs is to optimize the patient experience and achieve concordance. Even though pharmacists and GPs consider their partnership equal, they have different views as to who should bear which responsibility in the MR process in matters regarding patient selection and follow-up. Common Aruban themes that were mentioned by the healthcare providers and deemed relevant for conducting MRs included behaviour/culture, healthcare, lifestyle, and therapy compliance. Anamnesis should be concise during the MR, and questions about medication storage, concerns, beliefs, and practical problems, as well as checks for limited health literacy, were considered important. In the pilot, at least three to, maximally, eight pharmacotherapy-related problems (PRPs) were detected per MR consultation, such as an incorrect dosage of acetylsalicylic acid, an inappropriate combination tablet for blood pressure regulation, and the absence of important laboratory values. All patients considered their consultation to be positive and of added value. In addition, it was observed that an MR can potentially generate cost savings. The information obtained from the healthcare providers and patients, together with the basic principles for MRs, as applied in the Netherlands, led to a definitive and promising MR format with practical recommendations for community pharmacists in Aruba: in comparison with the Dutch MR approach, GPs and pharmacists in Aruba could collaborate more on patient selection for MRs and their follow-up, because of their specific knowledge regarding the medications patients are taking chronically (pharmacists), and possible low levels of health literacy (GPs). Taking into account the Aruban culture, pharmacists could ask extra questions during MRs, referring to lifestyle (high prevalence of obesity), readability of medication labels (limited literacy), and herbal product use (Latin American culture). GPs and medical specialists sometimes experience miscommunication regarding the prescription of medication, which means that pharmacists must carefully take into account possible duplicate medications or interactions.

Medication-use evaluations are meant to ensure that medication-use processes are consistent with prevailing standards of care, assure optimal use of therapy, and reduce the risk of medication-related problems. Reversal agents for direct oral anticoagulants are a worthy focus for medication-use evaluations for reasons of efficacy, safety, and cost. A multidisciplinary team of experts developed 2 medication-use evaluation templates illustrating the application of professional society guidelines to the appropriate use of andexanet alfa.

OBJECTIVE: The use of cannabis-based medicine (CBM) as a therapeutic has surged in Australia over the past 5 years. Historically, the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) prohibited cannabis use in Europe, the USA, the UK and Australia, leading to legislative resistance and limited preclinical data on CBM. Existing safety monitoring systems for CBM are poorly structured and do not integrate well into the workflows of busy health professionals. As a result, postmarketing surveillance is inconsistent. This review aims to evaluate international systems for monitoring CBM side effects and adverse events.
METHODS: To undertake a scoping review with a systematic approach, we used the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) framework to develop keyword elements, and two search queries to maximise search sensitivity and specificity.
METHODS: Search queries were entered into Embase and Scopus for peer-reviewed literature, and additional searches for grey literature were conducted on 23 June 2023.
METHODS: We included 54 full-text articles in the review: 39 from peer-reviewed searches, 8 from grey literature and 7 from citations of relevant texts.
METHODS: Our search yielded two main forms of monitoring systems: databases and registries. Out of the 24 monitoring systems identified, there were 10 databases and 14 registries, with databases often created by regulatory authorities. Systems differed in methods of causality assessment, level of detail collected, terminology and affiliations.
RESULTS: Within the monitoring systems with enough published data for analysis, all except one remain active at the time of this review. VigiBase is the largest centralised monitoring system, receiving international case reports, however data heterogeneity persists.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study emphasises the need for a centralised, consistent and accessible system for the postmarketing surveillance of side effects and adverse events associated with medicinal cannabis use.

Institutionalized older adults often face complex medication regimens, increasing their risk of adverse drug events due to polypharmacy, overprescribing, medication interactions, or the use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM). However, data on medication use and associated risks in this population remain scarce. This pilot study aimed to characterize the sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacotherapeutic profiles, and the use of PIM among institutionalized elders residing in Residential Structures for Elderly People (ERPI) in the Faro municipality, located in the Portuguese region of the Algarve. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a non-randomized sample of 96 participants (mean age: 86.6 ± 7.86 years) where trained researchers reviewed medication profiles and identified potentially inappropriate medications using the EU(7)-PIM list. Over 90% of participants exhibited polypharmacy (≥5 medications), with an average of 9.1 ± 4.15 medications per person. About 92% had potential drug interactions, including major and moderate interactions. More than 86% used at least one potentially inappropriate medication, most commonly central nervous system drugs. This pilot study demonstrates that institutionalized older adults may be at high risk of potential medication-related problems. Implementing comprehensive medication review programs and promoting adapted prescribing practices are crucial to optimize medication use and improve the well-being of this vulnerable population.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a marker of systemic chronic inflammation. Elevated suPAR levels are associated with adverse clinical outcomes, but a small subset of patients with low suPAR also experience poor outcomes. Therefore, we aimed to characterize patients presenting to the emergency department with low suPAR (<3 ng/mL) who died within 90 days after discharge in a registry-based study. Compared to patients with low suPAR who survived (n = 15 122), those who died within 90 days (n = 87) had higher age (75.4 years), higher medication use (7.0; 71.3% with polypharmacy) and more blood tests outside reference intervals (5.0) (including C-reactive protein, neutrophils and albumin), and the most common diagnoses were chronic pulmonary disease (27.6%), cerebrovascular disease (18.4%) and dementia (11.5%). Patients with low suPAR were more morbid than what was reflected by suPAR alone. Future studies must determine which factors that contribute the most to potential algorithms when stratifying patients based on their risk of adverse clinical outcomes. These data indicate that inclusion of medication data could be relevant.

BACKGROUND: The Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in Frail adults with limited life expectancy (STOPPFrail) criteria aim to reduce inappropriate/unnecessary medications in frail older adults, which should minimise adverse drug events and additional healthcare expenditure. Little is known about the economic outcomes of applying these criteria as an intervention.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate cost avoidance of pharmacist-led application of STOPPFrail to frail older nursing home residents with limited life expectancy.
METHODS: Pharmacist-identified STOPPFrail-defined potentially inappropriate medications that were deprescribed by patients\' general practitioners were assigned a rating by a multidisciplinary panel, i.e. the probability of an adverse drug event occurring if the medication was not deprescribed. The intervention\'s net cost benefit and cost-benefit ratio were then determined by factoring in adverse drug event cost avoidance (calculated from probability of adverse drug event ratings), direct cost savings (deprescribed medication costs/reimbursement fees), and healthcare professionals\' salaries.
RESULTS: Of the 176 potentially inappropriate medications deprescribed across 69 patients, 65 (36.9%) were rated as having a medium or high probability of an adverse drug event occurring if not deprescribed. With €27,162 for direct cost savings, €61,336 for adverse drug event cost avoidance, and €2,589 for healthcare professionals\' salary costs, there was a net cost benefit of €85,909 overall. The cost-benefit ratio was 33.2 and remained positive in all scenarios in sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacist-led application of STOPPFrail to frail older nursing home residents is associated with significant cost avoidance. Wider implementation of pharmacist interventions in frail older nursing home residents should be considered to reduce potentially inappropriate medications and patient harm, alongside substantial cost savings for healthcare systems.

BACKGROUND: The process of identifying drug-related hospitalisations is subjective and time-consuming. Assessment tool for identifying hospital admissions related to medications (AT-HARM10) was developed to simplify and objectify this process. AT-HARM10 has not previously been externally validated, thus the predictive precision of the tool is uncertain.
OBJECTIVE: To externally validate AT-HARM10 in adult patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).
METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study investigated 402 patients admitted to the ED, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway. A trained 5th-year pharmacy student used AT-HARM10 to assess all patients and to classify their ED visits as possibly or unlikely drug-related. Assessment of the same patients by an interdisciplinary expert panel acted as the gold standard. The external validation was conducted by comparing AT-HARM10 classifications with the gold standard.
RESULTS: According to AT-HARM10 assessments, 169 (42%) patients had a possible drug-related ED visit. Calculated sensitivity and specificity values were 95% and 71%, respectively. Further, positive and negative predictive values were 46% and 98%, respectively. Adverse effects/over-treatment and suboptimal treatment were the issues most frequently overestimated by AT-HARM10 compared with the gold standard.
CONCLUSIONS: AT-HARM10 identifies drug-related ED visits with high sensitivity. However, the low positive predictive value indicates that further review of ED visits classified as possible drug-related by AT-HARM10 is necessary. AT-HARM10 can serve as a useful first-step screening that efficiently identifies unlikely drug-related ED visits, thus only a smaller proportion of the patients need to be reviewed by an interdisciplinary expert panel.

Older individuals residing in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are often living with multimorbidity and exposed to polypharmacy, and many experience medication-related problems. Because randomized controlled trials seldom include individuals in LTCFs, pharmacoepidemiological studies using real-world data are essential sources of new knowledge on the utilization, safety and effectiveness of pharmacotherapies and related health outcomes in this population. In this commentary, we discuss recent pharmacoepidemiological research undertaken to support the investigations and recommendations of a landmark public inquiry into the quality and safety of care provided in the approximately 3,000 Australian LTCFs which house over 240,000 residents annually and informed subsequent national medication-related policy reforms. Suitable sources of real-world data for pharmacoepidemiological studies in long-term care cohorts and methodological considerations are also discussed.