Unraveling Medication Complexity in the Elderly: A Critical Assessment of Adherence Implications
Pavan Kumar Yanamadala
*
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Nandini Palivela
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Aleena Roy
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Hemalatha Yarra
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Jessi Peruri
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Rupa Lavanya Gogulamanda
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Priyanka Kandregula
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Minisha Nalli
Aditya Pharmacy College, Surampalem-533437, Andhra Pradesh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Chronic illnesses often affect grown-ups over 60 years of age, leading to inadequate and impecunious medication adherence, which increases the risk of bleakness, hospitalization, and mortality, despite the irrefutably factual benefits of certain medications.
Aim and Objectives: To appraise the degree of drug intricacy in older patients with chronic diseases and to break down the factors impacting drug adherence among them.
Methodology: A 10-month study involving 676 patients was carried out at the general medicine department of a tertiary hospital. Information was gathered for the study using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) and the Medicine Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI).
Results: A sample size of 676 on the whole, with 393 male patients surmounting 283 female patients. The level of intricacy was higher for the larger part of prescriptions. On the off chance that around 645 patients were prescribed more than 5 drugs. The greater part of the populace has shown good adherence (59%), trailed by moderate adherence (23%), and ultimately low adherence (18%). The intricacy of the prescription was recognized as the essential driver of non-adherence in 314 patients, and upon analyzing the responses from MRCI and MMAS scores, it was found that 156 patients on less complicated regimens exhibited moderate and 399 patients had great adherence among the total populace.
Conclusion: To further develop drug adherence in more seasoned adults, doctors ought to consider medicine class numbers, high-risk prescriptions, and multi-layered systems, including age-related, natural, and social variables.
Keywords: Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI), Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS), elderly, polypharmacy, quality of life, medication adherence, complexity of prescription