Geriatric assessment-driven polypharmacy discussions between oncologists, older patients, and their caregivers.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Polypharmacy (PP) and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) are common in older adults with cancer, increasing the risk of adverse outcomes. Approaches to identifying and addressing PP/PIM are needed.

Materials and methods

Patients ≥70 years with advanced cancer were enrolled in this cluster-randomized study. All underwent geriatric assessment (GA), and oncologists randomized to the intervention arm received GA-driven recommendations; no information was provided to oncologists at usual care sites. For patients with PP (≥5 medications or ≥1 high-risk medication), clinic visits with treating oncologists were audiorecorded and transcribed, and discussions regarding PP/PIM identified. Quality of provider response was coded as dismissed, mentioned, acknowledged,

SUBMITTER: Ramsdale E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6113101 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature