Impact of Education Campaign on Deprescribing

Polypharmacy is common in the nursing home population. Deprescribing programs generally result in 20-30% reductions in the targeted medications. Three categories of medications were chosen for this deprescribing initiative: anticholinergic bladder agents, proton pump inhibitors, and dementia medications including cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. Anticholinergic bladder agents have high risks for confusion as well as low efficacy (1 less incontinent episode per day). Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are associated with hip fractures with long-term use.