Abstract
Aims and methodMedication with anticholinergic action is associated with potentially serious adverse effects in older people. We present an evaluation of a novel anticholinergic burden scale introduced into routine practice in older adult services in the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust. Our aim was to assess whether this tool improved the accurate identification of anticholinergic medication and guided safer prescribing in cognitively vulnerable older people. RESULTS: The introduction of the anticholinergic effect on cognition (AEC) tool into clinical practice led to an increase in the identification and reporting to general practitioners of anticholinergic medication from 11 to 85% of cases (P = 0.0015).Clinical implicationsApplication of the AEC tool led to improved detection of anticholinergic medication and advice to primary care on when a medication review is necessary. This is an important step towards improving the safety of prescribing in this patient group.Declaration of interestSLaM NHS Foundation Trust owns both the app and IP for Medichec.
Highlights
The introduction of the anticholinergic effect on cognition (AEC) tool into clinical practice led to an increase in the identification and reporting to general practitioners of anticholinergic medication from 11 to 85% of cases (P = 0.0015)
Clinical implications Application of the AEC tool led to improved detection of anticholinergic medication and advice to primary care on when a medication review is necessary
We introduced the AEC scale into three older adult services across South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust to assess its role in the identification of anticholinergic drugs and subsequent advice given to primary care regarding medication reviews
Summary
In the Southwark and Lambeth Memory Service, preintervention/baseline results showed that 20 patients (29%) were on anticholinergic medication. Eleven patients from the pre-intervention sample (16%) and 13 patients from the post-intervention sample (13%) were on medications with an individual AEC score of 2 or more (Table 1). One of the 9 patients in the pre-intervention sample with a total AEC score of three or more (11%) had this identified and communicated to the GP. Eleven of 13 post-intervention patients (85%) had their total AEC score of 3 or more identified and communicated to. AEC, anticholinergic effect on cognition; SLMS, Southwark and Lambeth Memory Service. Post-intervention results showed that the anticholinergic burden had been communicated to the GP for 100% (7 out of 7) of patients with a total AEC score of 3 or more in the CHIT team and for 86% (19 out of 22) of patients in the memory service
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
