To identify inappropriate prescribing among older patients on admission to and discharge from an intermediate-care nursing home unit and hospital wards, and to compare changes during stay within and between these groups.
Observational study.
Altogether 400 community-dwelling people aged = 70 years, on consecutive emergency admittance to hospital wards of internal medicine and orthopaedic surgery, were randomized to an intermediate-care nursing home unit or hospital wards; 290 (157 at the intermediate-care nursing home unit and 133 in hospital wards) were eligible for this sub-study.
Prevalence on admission and discharge of potentially inappropriate medications (Norwegian general practice [NORGEP] criteria) and drug-drug interactions; changes during stay.
The mean (SD) age was 84.7 (6.2) years; 71% were women. From admission to discharge, the mean numbers of drugs prescribed per person increased from 6.0 (3.3) to 9.3 (3.8), p