Question

What is STOPP criteria (Screening Tool of Older Person's inappropriate Prescriptions)?

Define polypharmacy in an inpatient setting.

List two effects of polypharmacy in older adults.

Answer 1

STOPP, incorporates commonly encountered instances of potentially inappropriate prescribing in older people including drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, drugs which adversely affect older patients at risk of falls and duplicate drug class prescriptions. STOPP, is derived from Screening Tool of Older Person’s potentially inappropriate Prescriptions. It is a new systems-defined medicine review tool.

Polypharmacy is defined as increase in the number of medications or the use of more medications than are medically necessary, ranging from as few as two to as many as 21. The most common numerical threshold for polypharmacy is 5-6 or more medications. Polypharmacy is common in older ambulatory care, hospital, and nursing home patients. Polypharmacy increases the risk of numerous negative health consequences in the elderly

There is some evidence, mostly from observational studies, that polypharmacy in older adults is associated with a number of negative health outcomes such as decreased functional and cognitive health status, increased risk of falls, adverse drug events, hospitalizations and mortality.

The symptoms caused by polypharmacy is unfortunately usually demented with the normal aging signs and symptoms, which can be : Tiredness, sleepiness or decreased alertness, constipation, diarrhoea, or incontinence, loss of appetite, confusion, falls, depression or lack of interest in your usual activities.