Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a frequent problem encountered in the elderly. The aim of this study was to elucidate the factors that influence ADEs in an elderly population with cognitive impairment.
242 patients were recruited from dementia clinics and assessed after 6 months for ADEs. The use of natural health products (NHPs) was also documented.
Backward logistic regression found that higher age (OR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.12), and greater cognitive impairment (OR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.90-0.98) were associated with an increased risk of developing an ADE while the use of NHPs (OR = 0.32; 95% CI 0.13-0.79) was associated with a decreased risk (chi(2) = 27.6, p