Abstract:
Geriatric patients are vulnerable to drug related problems because of poly-morbidity associated
poly-pharmacy, age related physiological alterations, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
changes. Since these groups of patients often excluded from premarketing clinical trial, the
approved doses might be resulted in adverse drug events that further increases drug related
problems. This increased Drug related problems can be associated with increased healthcare
costs, increased hospital admissions, prolonged hospital stays, reduced quality of life, and
increased morbidity and/or mortality.
Objectives: To identify drug related problems and its determinants among geriatric patients
admitted in medical wards of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Tepi General Hospital
and G/Tsadik Shawo Hospital, South-west Ethiopia.
Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted among geriatric patients admitted to
medical wards of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital, Tepi General Hospital and G/Tsadik
Shawo Hospital, from January to December 2019. Clinical pharmacists reviewed drug therapy of
patients and identified drug related problems. Descriptive statics was used to summarize
categorical variables of drug related variables. Data was entered by Epidata manager version
4.0.2 and analyzed by SPSS version 24. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with backward
stepwise approach was done to identify determinants of drug related problems.
Results: A total of 384 geriatric patients were included in the study. The average age of the
subjects was 67.88 (SD 6.1) years. A total of 609 drug related problem were identified from
86.2% of geriatric patients with an average of 1.58 ±1.02 drug related problems per patient.
Having no formal education (AOR=1.93, 95%CI=1.08-3.43, P=0.026), more than two weeks of
hospitalization (AOR=3.43, 95%CI=1.86-6.32, P<0.001) and poly-pharmacy (AOR=9.88,
95%CI=4.07-23.97, P <0.001) were determinants of drug related problems.
Conclusion: Significant number of geriatric patients experienced one or more drug related
problems. Patients who have no formal education, with poly-pharmacy and those who had longer
hospital stay were more likely to have drug related problems. Hence, special attention should be
given to reduce the occurrence of drug related problems in these patients.
