Potentially inappropriate prescribing in people with dementia: An Australian population‐based study

Objective To investigate the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) using the Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria in people with dementia compared with people without dementia. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme 10% sample of pharmacy claims. People with dementia were defined as those dispensed a medicine for dementia (cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, or risperidone for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia) between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015, aged 65 years or older at 1 January 2016 and alive at the end of 2016. An age‐ and gender‐matched comparison cohort of people not dispensed medicines for dementia was identified. PIP prevalence was determined between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2016. Results In total, 8280 people dispensed medicines for dementia and 41 400 comparisons not dispensed medicines for dementia were included: 63% were female and the median age was 82 years. PIP prevalence was 79% among people with dementia compared with 70% among the comparison group (P