Details:

• Alternative Title:
  Drugs Aging
• Personal Author:
  Kelley, Casey J. ; Niznik, Joshua ; Ferreri, Stefanie P. ; Schlusser, Courtney ; Armistead, Lori T. ; ... More +

  Kelley, Casey J. ; Niznik, Joshua ; Ferreri, Stefanie P. ; Schlusser, Courtney ; Armistead, Lori T. ; Hughes, Tamera D. ; Henage, Cristine B. ; Busby-Whitehead, Jan ; Roberts, Ellen Less -
• Description:
  Background:
  
  Opioids and benzodiazepines (BZDs) pose a public health problem. Older adults are especially susceptible to adverse events from opioids and BZDs due to increased usage of opioids and BZDs, multiple comorbidities, and polypharmacy. Deprescribing is a possible, yet challenging, solution to reducing opioid and BZD use.
  
  Objective:
  
  To explore older adult patients’ knowledge of opioids and BZDs, perceived facilitators and barriers to deprescribing opioids and BZDs, and attitudes toward alternative treatments for opioids and BZDs.
  
  Methods:
  
  We conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with patients 65+ years old with chronic opioid and/or BZD prescriptions. The interview guide was developed by an interprofessional team and focused on patients’ knowledge of opioids and BZDs, perceived ability to reduce opioid or BZD use, and attitudes towards alternative treatments.
  
  Results:
  
  Three patients had taken opioids, either currently or in the past, three had taken BZDs, and five had taken both opioids and BZDs. Generally, knowledge of opioids and BZDs was variable among patients; yet facilitators and barriers to deprescribing both opioids and BZDs were consistent. Facilitators of deprescribing included patient-provider trust and slow tapering of medications, while barriers included concerns about reemergence of symptoms and lack of motivation, particularly if medications and symptoms were stable. Patients were generally unenthusiastic about pursuing alternative pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic alternatives to opioids and BZDs for symptom management.
  
  Conclusion:
  
  Our findings indicate that patients are open to deprescribing opioids and BZDs under certain circumstances, but overall remain hesitant with a lack of enthusiasm for alternative treatments. Future studies should focus on supportive approaches to alleviate older adults’ deprescribing concerns.
  
  
• Keywords:
  [+]

  Aged Analgesics, Opioid Attitude Benzodiazepines Deprescriptions Humans Polypharmacy
• Source:
  Drugs Aging. 40(12):1113-1122
• Pubmed ID:
  37792262
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC10768261
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  K08 AG071794/AG/NIA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U01 CE002955/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; 1K08AG071794/AG/NIA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 5U01CE002955/CC/CDC HHSUnited States/

  K08 AG071794/AG/NIA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; U01 CE002955/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; 1K08AG071794/AG/NIA NIH HHSUnited States/ ; 5U01CE002955/CC/CDC HHSUnited States/ Less -
• Volume:
  40
• Issue:
  12
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  [+]

  urn:sha-512:52d1d297128a40f4485e4f4927223dd8c11817f806193392ad0ab56e35b0f2d5e6b8e9d414a2fee3b7f1a5da093cf44ad1288ad28504f6e3e13343cf5bb825f8
• File Type:

• Supporting Files:
  No Additional Files