J Korean Geriatr Soc.  1997 Oct;1(1):25-30.

Drug Compliance and Occurrence of Adverse Drug Reactions According to Activities of Daily Living(ADL) Function of Elderly Diabetic Patients

• Yoo HJ
• Park MS
• Hong WS
• Kim KY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of ADL on the drug compliance and the occurrence of drug side reactions in elderly diabetic out-patients, we performed a study concerning prescriptions.
METHODS
Eighty six elderly diabetic out-patients(65~92 year-old)were divided into two groups by the function of ADL(normal ADL group> or =5 score, impaired ADL group< or = 4 score). Four weeks after prescription we examined the account of remaining medicines and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. Patient compliance with drug therapy was assessed by counting the remained drugs at 4 week according to the following criteria: 2 or 3 days of prescribed drugs, 95% compliance; 1 week, 75%; 2 weeks, 50%; and 3 weeks or more, 25%. The frequency of drug adverse reaction is expressed as the percentage of the number of patients experienced side effect(s) over the total number of patients in each group during 4-weeks.
RESULTS
Drug compliance was significantly higher in normal ADL group than in impaired Group(normal 87+/-15.6%, impaired 66+/-14.1%, p<0.01). Drug side effects were more in impaired ADL group than in normal group(impaired ADL group 26.3%, normal group 10.4%). Five normal ADL patients and 10 impaired ones had a total of 20 adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS
ADL performance influenced the drug intake compliance and the frequency of drug side effects in elderly diabetic out-patients.

Keyword

ADL; Drug intake compliance; Side effect; Elderly diabetics

MeSH Terms

Activities of Daily Living
Aged*
Compliance*
Drug Therapy
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions*
Humans
Outpatients
Patient Compliance
Prescriptions