Abstract
To compare rates and trends in hospital admissions due to medication misadventure for older adults (≥65years) with and without dementia. A retrospective analysis of hospital admissions that occurred between 2012 and 2016, for medication misadventures among older adults living in regional Australia. Medication misadventures contributed to 10555 (4.6%) of the total 228165 admissions for older adults over the study period. Among these admissions, older adults with dementia were three times more likely to be hospitalised with medication misadventures (14.0%), than their non-dementia counterparts (4.2%). Medication misadventures relating to "anticoagulants" and "opioids/related analgesics" accounted for the majority of admissions (24.3% dementia vs 30.7% non-dementia). This study highlights that the proportion of older adults hospitalised for a medication misadventure is much higher among those with dementia, than those without dementia. Strategies should target older adults, and especially those with dementia, to reduce medication-related harm and improve patient safety.
Published Version
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