Is anticholinergic and sedative drug burden associated with postdischarge institutionalization in community‐dwelling older patients acutely admitted to hospital? A Norwegian registry‐based study

Purpose Investigate the association between anticholinergic (AC) and sedative (SED) drug burden before hospitalization and postdischarge institutionalization (PDI) in community‐dwelling older patients acutely admitted to hospital. Methods A cross‐sectional study using data from the Norwegian Patient Registry and the Norwegian Prescription Database. We studied acutely hospitalized community‐dwelling patients ≥70 years during 2013 (N = 86 509). Patients acutely admitted to geriatric wards underwent subgroup analyses (n = 1715). We calculated drug burden by the Drug Burden Index (DBI), use of AC/SED drugs, and the number of AC/SED drugs. Piecewise linearity of DBI versus PDI and a knot point (DBI = 2.45) was identified. Statistical analyses included an adjusted multivariable logistic regression model. Results In the total population, 45.4% were exposed to at least one AC/SED drug, compared to 52.5% in the geriatric subgroup. AC/SED drugs were significantly associated with PDI. The DBI with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.11 (95% CI 1.07–1.15) for DBI