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Table 4 Community pharmacists' knowledge of beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medications in elderly (n = 109)

From: Beers criteria and potentially inappropriate medications in elderly: awareness, practice, knowledge and barriers among community pharmacists in Nigeria

Variables

Response categories

Frequency (%)

Metoclopramide should be avoided unless for gastroparesis with duration not exceeding 12 weeks except in rare cases because it can cause extrapyramidal side-effects

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

60 (55.0)

6 (5.5)

43 (39.4)

Proton-pump Inhibitors should be used for a maximum of 8 weeks in elderly patients except for high-risk patients, erosive oesophagitis, and pathological hypersecretory condition

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

62 (56.9)

13 (11.9)

34 (31.2)

Sertraline would increase the risk of delirium

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

63 (57.8)

7 (6.4)

39 (35.8)

SSRI can increase the risk of falls and should be avoided unless safer alternatives are not available

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

64 (58.7)

9 (8.3)

36 (33.0)

Benzodiazepines can increase the risk of falls and fractures in elderly patients

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

72 (66.1)

9 (8.3)

28 (25.7)

First Generation anti-histamines (Chlorpheniramine) can increase the risk of anticholinergic effects in elderly patients

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

63 (57.8)

5 (4.6)

41 (37.6)

Corticosteroids plus NSAIDs should be avoided because it increases the risk of peptic ulcer disease or Gastro-Intestinal bleeding

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

76 (69.7)

7 (6.4)

26 (23.9)

Aspirin 325 mg daily may exacerbate existing ulcers or cause new additional ulcers

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

90 (82.6)

1 (0.9)

18 (16.5)

Long-acting sulfonylurea (glimepiride, glyburide) should be avoided due to their risk of prolonged hypoglycemia

Correct answer: Yes

Yes

No

I don’t know

74 (67.9)

12 (11.0)

23 (21.1)

Score distribution (n = 109)

Frequency (n)

Percentage (%)

 0

3

2.8

 1

2

1.8

 2

4

3.7

 3

6

5.5

 4

10

9.2

 5

22

20.2

 6

17

15.6

 7

24

22.0

 8

14

12.8

 9

7

6.4

Knowledge of Beers’ criteria

Good knowledge (≥ 80%)

45

41.3

Poor knowledge (< 80%)

64

58.7

  1. Each question was allotted a score of one. For each respondent, the total of questions answered correctly was gotten and divided by the total number of questions (9) and then, multiplied by 100 to get the respondents percentage of questions answered correctly