Potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) issued by 449 GPs to 81 810 patients aged ≥70 years before and 80 521 patients after an educational intervention
| Potentially inappropriate prescriptions | Intervention group, number of prescriptions | Control group, number of prescriptions | Change, % (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before | After | Before | After | ||
| Patients aged ≥70 years issued a prescription | 46 737 | 45 310 | 35 073 | 35 211 | |
| Total number of PIPs | 12 750 | 10 149 | 9048 | 8521 | −12.0 (−12.6 to −11.48) |
| Tricyclic antidepressants | 1136 | 900 | 757 | 750 | −17.1 (−19.3 to −14.9) |
| Amitryptyline | 604 | 452 | 391 | 404 | −25.3 (−28.8 to −21.8) |
| Doxepin | 146 | 123 | 107 | 96 | −2.7 (−5.3 to −0.1) |
| Trimipramine | 312 | 265 | 216 | 204 | − 6.9 (−9.7 to −4.1) |
| Clomipramine | 74 | 60 | 43 | 46 | −21.4 (30.7 to 12.1) |
| Antihistamines | 1277 | 963 | 877 | 875 | −21.6 (−23.9 to −12.4) |
| Dexchlorpheniramine | 188 | 86 | 134 | 119 | −41.8 (−48.8 to −34.7) |
| Promethazine | 86 | 78 | 88 | 88 | −5.9 (−10.9 to− 0.9) |
| Alimemazine | 562 | 463 | 379 | 396 | −18.7 (−21.9 to −15.5) |
| Hydroxyzine | 441 | 336 | 276 | 272 | −19.9 (−23.6 to −16.2) |
| Antipsychotics | 767 | 603 | 420 | 455 | −24.7 (−27.7 to −21.7) |
| Chlorpromazine | 67 | 43 | 45 | 35 | −13.6 (−21.8 to −5.4) |
| Chlorprotixene | 155 | 136 | 104 | 126 | −28.0 (−35.1 to −20.9) |
| Levomepromazine | 545 | 424 | 271 | 294 | −25.1 (−28.7 to −21.5) |
| Long-acting benzodiazepines | 2312 | 1716 | 1763 | 1461 | −5.7 (−6.7 to −4.7) |
| Nitrazepam | 1834 | 1378 | 1348 | 1142 | −10.1 (−11.5 to −8.7) |
| Flunitrazepam | 478 | 338 | 415 | 319 | 0.5 (−0.1 to 1.1) |
| Carisoprodol | 451 | 316 | 370 | 284 | −2.0 (−3.3 to −0.7) |
| Strong analgesics | 680 | 494 | 337 | 258 | −9.4 (−11.6 to −7.2) |
| Propoxyphene | 604 | 423 | 312 | 226 | −8.6 (−10.8 to −6.4) |
| Pethidine | 42 | 49 | 11 | 19 | −4.8 (−11.3 to 1.7) |
| Opioid + spasmolytic | 34 | 22 | 14 | 13 | −29.1 (−44.4 to −13.8) |
| Theophylline, tablets | 284 | 196 | 205 | 143 | 0.5 (−0.3 to 1.3) |
| Beta-blocker + unselective calcium antagonist | 166 | 133 | 123 | 111 | −7.4 (−11.4 to −3.4) |
| NSAID + warfarin | 362 | 211 | 208 | 188 | −32.2 (−36.6 to −32.2) |
| NSAID + ACE inhibitor | 1841 | 1565 | 1289 | 1194 | −5.1 (−6.1 to −4.1) |
| NSAID + SSRI | 434 | 299 | 310 | 270 | −16.3 (−19.8 to −12.8) |
| NSAID + diuretic | 1588 | 1255 | 1384 | 1350 | −15.2 (−17.0 to −13.4) |
| Concomitant use of ≥3 psychotropic drugs | 1244 | 1288 | 990 | 1049 | 0.9 (0.4 to 1.4) |
ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme. NSAID = non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug. SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.