@article{ref1,
title="Prevalence of medication and off-label medication use in acquired brain injury at a neurorehabilitation hospital",
journal="European journal of clinical pharmacology",
year="2019",
author="Merino, Raquel and Pérez, Ana and Fierro, Josana and Terré, Rosa",
volume="75",
number="7",
pages="985-994",
abstract="PURPOSE: Patients who suffer acquired brain injury (ABI) require a great variety of drugs. Furthermore, the lack of evidence on the medication effects in this type of patient increases off-label prescription. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of medication use and the practice of prescribing off-label drugs in these patients. <br><br>METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with ABI, of either traumatic or non-traumatic cause, admitted to a neurorehabilitation hospital for rehabilitation. Demographic and clinical data and prevalence of medication use and off-label prescription were collected. <br><br>RESULTS: The majority of the studied patients (85.2%) were considered polymedicated since they were prescribed ≥ 6 drugs concomitantly. In traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients, antidepressants (81.5%) were the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) group's most prescribed versus antithrombotic agents (80.5%) in non-traumatic brain injury (N-TBI) patients. Up to 37.3% of all active substances prescribed in TBI patients were off-label compared with 24.9% in N-TBI patients. The most prescribed off-label active substances in both groups were those related to the Nervous System (N) ATC group to treat neurobehavioural problems. <br><br>CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary pharmacotherapeutic follow-up of these patients would be essential to address the high prescription rate of medications and the off-label prescription practice. In this way, medication problems related to polypharmacy could be minimised and the benefit-risk ratio of prescribed off-label drugs could be ensured according to the available medical evidence.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0031-6970",
doi="10.1007/s00228-019-02651-y",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00228-019-02651-y"
}