Use of over the counter products in older cardiovascular patients admitted to a tertiary care center in USA

Marwan Sheikh-Taha,Hani Dimassi

doi:10.1186/s12877-018-0989-7

Abstract

BackgroundIn recent years there has been a substantial increase in the use of over-the-counter (OTC) products around the world. While they are assumed to be safe by consumers, they can potentially lead to adverse effects and drug interactions particularly in older adults.MethodsWe assessed the patterns of OTC products used by older adults admitted to the cardiology service in a tertiary care medical center in the USA over a three month period. We conducted a retrospective chart review where older adults with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) who were taking at least one OTC product at home were included.ResultsOut of 404 patients who were admitted to the cardiology service, 281 (69.6%) were taking OTC products. Patients were taking a total of 659 OTC products; mean of 2.35 ± 1.57 and the range varied from 1 to 9 products. The most commonly used products were vitamins (37.3%), followed by laxatives (17%), minerals (13.6%), stomach acid reducers (9%), and analgesics (3.6%). OTC users were found to be suffering from more comorbidities and received more prescription medications as compared to non-users. Gender and age did not have an impact on the use of OTC products while patients with atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea and gastro-esophageal reflux disease were more likely to use OTC products.ConclusionUse of OTC products is quite frequent in older adults with CVD in our study. Clinicians should ask about OTC product usage and counsel patients about the risks and benefits associated with their use.

Highlights

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the use of over-the-counter (OTC) products around the world
The American Heart Association estimates that 92.1 million US adults have at least 1 type of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and by 2030, 43.9% of the US population is projected to have some form of CVD [1]
CVD imposes an enormous burden in terms of disability, mortality, morbidity, functional decline, and healthcare costs in older adults as there is a marked increase in the incidence and prevalence of CVD in this age group [1]

Summary

Introduction

In recent years there has been a substantial increase in the use of over-the-counter (OTC) products around the world. While they are assumed to be safe by consumers, they can potentially lead to adverse effects and drug interactions in older adults. There has been an increasing prevalence of using over-the-counter (OTC) products, including nonprescription medications, vitamins, minerals, and herbal. In elderly patients with heart failure, routine use of OTC medications was reported to be 93.3% while herbal therapy use was 11.5% [6]. In Canada, the use of OTC drugs in patients with CVD was reported to be 67% [7]. In Italy, Sheikh-Taha and Dimassi BMC Geriatrics (2018) 18:301

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion