Leenderste et al identified risk factors for preventable medication-related hospital admissions at multiple hospitals. These can help to identify a patient who may benefit from an intervention to reduce a readmission. The authors are from Utrecht University, Erasmus Medical Center and multiple hospitals in The Netherlands.
NOTE: This is for hospital admission, not re-admission.
Patient selection: preventable medication-related hospital admission, age > 18 years with two thirds > 65 years of age
Most common reasons for admission:
(1) GI bleeding
(2) other GI tract problems
(3) circulatory system problem (heart failure, arrhythmia, etc)
(4) respiratory tract problem
(5) endocrine or metabolic (hypo or hyperglycemia, hyponatremia, etc)
Key risk factors:
(1) impaired cognition (odds ratio 11.9)
(2) polypathology (>= 4 comorbid conditions, odds ratio 8.1)
Additional risk factors (odds ratios 2.3 to 3.0)
(3) polypharmacy (>= 5 medications chronically used)
(4) physical dependency (affecting activities of daily living)
(5) impaired renal function
(6) nonadherence to medication regimen (based on medication refill rate)
