Deprescribing in primary care in Portugal (DePil17-20): a three-phase observational and experimental study protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Polypharmacy is commonly defined as the simultaneous taking of five or more drugs. Deprescribing is the process of tapering or stopping medications with the aim of improving patient outcomes and optimising current therapy, and there are several tools aiming at identifying potentially inappropriate medications, especially in the elderly. The direct involvement of patients and their caregivers in the choice and administration of drugs has long been known to be very important, but it is not usually applied. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of older adults about deprescription, the effect on willingness to have regular medications deprescribed and its quality-of-life outcome.

Methods and analysis

This study protocol comprises three phases. The first

SUBMITTER: Simoes PA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6059343 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature