ArticleBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2019
Discontinuation of medications at the end of life: A population study in Belgium, based on linked administrative databases.
Article in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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13 citing papers in PubMed.
- Deprescribing for patients nearing end of life: views, barriers and facilitators of palliative care patients, carers and nurses.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Sociodemographic differences in discontinuation of high-risk medications: a retrospective cohort study.npj aging · 2025Article
- Optimising end-of-life geriatric pharmacotherapy: a hospital-based retrospective cohort study of deprescribing early in the care trajectory before hospice transition.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2025Article
- The impact of palliative care consults on medicines optimisation for patients with cancer referred to hospice care at the end of life: a retrospective cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Article
- Association between Cognitive Impairment Severity and Polypharmacy in Older Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Retrospective Study Using Inpatient Data from a Specialised Geriatric Hospital.Geriatrics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Prescribing and deprescribing in older people with life-limiting illnesses receiving hospice care at the end of life: A longitudinal, retrospective cohort study.Palliative medicine · 2024Article
- Deprescribing research in nursing home residents using routinely collected healthcare data: a conceptual framework.BMC geriatrics · 2023Review
- Article
- Polypharmacy, chemotherapy receipt, and medication-related out-of-pocket costs at end of life among commercially insured adults with advanced cancer.Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners · 2022Article
- Use and Deprescribing of Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Frail Nursing Home Residents.Drugs & aging · 2020Article
- Purchases of medicines among community-dwelling older people: comparing people in the last 2 years of life and those who lived at least 2 years longer.European journal of ageing · 2020Article
- Discontinuation of medications at the end of life: A population study in Belgium, based on linked administrative databases.British journal of clinical pharmacology · 2019Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsThe aim of this study was to examine the use of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) in relation to time before death, to explore whether PIMs are discontinued at the end of life, and the factors associated with this discontinuation.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective register-based mortality cohort study of all deceased in 2012 in Belgium, aged at least 75 years at time of death (n = 74 368), using linked administrative databases. We used STOPPFrail to identify PIMs received during the period from 12 to 6 months before death (P1) and the last 4 months (P2) of life.
resultsMedian age was 86 (IQR 81-90) at time of death, 57% were female, 38% were living in a nursing home, and 16% were admitted to hospital between 2 years and 4 months before death. Overall, PIM use was high, and increased towards death for all PIMs. At least one PIM was discontinued during P2 for one in five (20%) of the population, and 49% had no discontinuation. Being hospitalized in the period before the last 4 months of life, living in a nursing home, female gender and a higher number of medications used during P1 were associated with discontinuation of PIMs (respective aOR [95% CI]: 2.89 [2.73-3.06], 1.29 [1.23-1.36], 1.26 [1.20-1.32], 1.17 [1.16-1.17]).
conclusionInitial PIM use was high and increased towards death. Discontinuation was observed in only one in five PIM users. More guidance for discontinuation of PIMs is needed: practical, evidence-based deprescribing guidelines and implementation plans, training for prescribers and a better consensus on what inappropriate medication is.
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