Regular use of certain medications by older people can increase their risk of falls, heart attacks, dementia and even death.
Research from the University of Aberdeen is underway to empower older patients to question their GP about their prolonged use of anticholinergic medication.
Around half of all older adults in the UK use anticholinergic medicines. These types of medicines are used to treat various conditions including allergies, irritable bladder and nausea. However, the more anticholinergic medicines taken by a person, the greater their risk of heart attack, dementia, falls and death. Older people are particularly vulnerable to these effects.
Previous attempts to reduce over-prescribing of these medications has focussed on targeting the prescriber and has had limited success, likely due to lack of education on the topic and resources available.
A team of researchers from the University of Aberdeen, led by Chair in Old Age Medicine Professor Phyo Myint, are trying a new approach where the patient is empowered to question the prescriber and to be more involved in the decision making around their care.
The team, including Dr Carrie Stewart, who is managing the project, is inviting people aged 65 years and older who use one or more anticholinergic medicines (or have used one or more of these medicines within the last 12 months), to take part in the research. Anyone who has cared for an eligible adult can also take part.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to chat with the team and give their views on the medications and how they can feel empowered to ask questions about the medicine they are given.
Dr Carrie Stewart explains: “We know that too much of these types of medicine can be very harmful to older people but so far, we haven't been able to find the best way to reduce their use amongst older people.
“We want to try a different approach, targeting the patient as a way of initiating change.
“Empowerment allows patients to have greater control by having a say in the decisions and actions taken in relation to their health.
“Promoting patient empowerment features heavily within current health policy context including National Institute of Health and Care Excellence, NHS England, and Scottish Government. The Scottish Governments Realistic Medicine campaign aims to increase patient empowerment to improve medicine use.
“We need people who have experience of these common medications to get in touch with us so that we can talk directly to them and get a real insight into how we can get on top of this – what better person to ask than the people involved.
“What we learn from this study will inform and improve future deprescribing approaches which could lead to significant improvements for older peoples’ health, quality of life and health resource use.”
The study, funded by the Sir Halley Stewart Trust, is already underway and the team are looking for eligible adults to get in touch.
Please see the website, email carrie.stewart@abdn.ac.uk, or call 01224 438152 for more information and to check if you are eligible to participate.