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The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Collaborative Deprescribing Intervention to Reduce Anticholinergic Burden Among Hospitalised Older Patients

NCT07489677 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 21

Last updated 2026-03-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Why this research is important? It is estimated that over one third of all older adults are prescribed medication which are known to have "anticholinergic" side effects. These anticholinergic side effects can include an increased risk of falls, delirium, and memory problems. People who have a high number of anticholinergic medications have an increased risk of these side effects. This can be measured as their anticholinergic burden (ACB). Several tools have been developed to assess the ACB score, by checking a person's medication list, with the aim of reducing these medications where possible (deprescribing).

The study aim The project team worked with a company to design an online tool which can calculate the total ACB score for patients using their electronic medication list. It can also list the individual anticholinergic medications contributing to that score. Patients with high ACB score will be highlighted to healthcare staff including pharmacists, nurses, and doctors. In this project, we plan to understand how this tool can be used by clinicians in older persons wards to reduce the number of anticholinergic medications prescribed where appropriate.

Our approach Working with doctors and pharmacists in one large hospital, we agreed how the tool should be used. First, pharmacists with check weekly using the digital tool how many patients have high ACB scores. Then they would highlight in patients' medical notes the list of medications with high anticholinergic effects using a sticker note. The doctor looking after the patient then sees the note which would prompt him/her to either stop the drug, reduce the dose or switch to a safer drug.

We will test this intervention among 50 patients admitted to older people wards. We will collect information before and after receiving the intervention including number and type of medications prescribed, quality of life, and cognition. We will also talk to staff and patients to understand their views about the intervention, any challenges, and how to improve the process.

Involving patients and public Two patient and public contributors have been actively involved in developing this research proposal. They represent an older person with comorbidity and polypharmacy and a carer, and both have lived experience of managing polypharmacy following hospital admission. They will continue to provide input on study procedures and materials and contribute to plans for sharing the findings.

Sharing the study findings We will share the findings with public, health professionals, researchers and policymakers through plain English summaries, social media, policy briefing documents, scientific papers, conferences and other meetings.

Conditions

  • Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old)

Interventions

OTHER

DART

Patients will receive a collaborative deprescribing intervention

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-05-22
Primary Completion
2026-01-10
Completion
2026-01-10

Countries

  • United Kingdom

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07489677 on ClinicalTrials.gov