RESEARCHERS have developed an Australian-first list of 16 potentially dangerous medications for over-65s used in healthcare and their safer alternatives, published in Internal Medicine Journal last Fri.
Potentially Inappropriate Medicines (PIMs) are medicines with risks that may outweigh their benefits.
PIMs can have high risks of severe adverse effects, drug interactions, increased risk of falls and even death.
Lead researcher, Dr Kate Wang, said PIMs lists help clinicians identify medications that have a higher risk of negative clinical outcomes, including hospitalisation and death.
"They should only be used in circumstances where there is a clear need and not an effective and lower-risk alternative available," said Wang, from RMIT's School of Health and Biomedical Sciences.
"The Australian setting is unique, and it is vital that we have our own, up-to-date resource," added Wang.
The study drew on a multidisciplinary expert panel of 33 clinicians and researchers with expertise in geriatrics, general medicine, pharmacy, clinical pharmacology, general practice and epidemiology.
A total of 130 medications or medication classes were considered, including medicine classes commonly appearing in PIMs lists internationally such as benzodiazepines, NSAIDs and tricyclic antidepressants.
Australia's existing PIMs list was developed 15 years ago, and there have been many changes to medications available in Australia since then.
"Furthermore, no Australian lists to date have made recommendations for potentially safer alternatives," said Wang.
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