Evidence mapPaperPMID 40829946Full record

ArticleBasic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology2025

Discontinuing Chronic Medications Suggested for Deprescribing in Routine Clinical Practice: Nationwide Evidence From Routinely Collected Data in Swedish Older Adults.

Karl-Hermann Sielinou Kamgang, Carina Lundby, Máté Szilcz, Kristina Johnell, Jonas W Wastesson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Karl-Hermann Sielinou KamgangDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6467-9685
Carina LundbyClinical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Environmental Medicine, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2121-6252
Máté SzilczDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Kristina JohnellDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Jonas W WastessonDepartment of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7601-4319

Funding

Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare 2022-00170
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNational estimates of drug discontinuation for deprescribing targets in older adults are limited, partly due to challenges distinguishing planned deprescribing from poor adherence. Focusing on individuals with multidose dispensing (MDD), characterized by high adherence by design, may yield realistic discontinuation rates.

aimsTo estimate the rates of discontinuation for chronically used drugs targeted for deprescribing among older adults, and to describe reinitiation among users of MDD and standard dispensing (non-MDD).

methodsIn this nationwide cohort study, Swedish adults aged ≥ 75 were identified from national registers. At baseline (1 January 2021), chronic users of seven drug classes were defined. We estimated the 12-month cumulative incidence of discontinuation (defined as no new dispensing during the treatment episode of the prior dispensing plus a 180-day grace period) and the proportion of patients restarting therapy within 180 days after discontinuation.

resultsWe identified 162 518 chronic users: benzodiazepines (n = 69 511), PPIs (n = 43 973), antidepressants (n = 41 577), statins (n = 36 085), cholinesterase inhibitors (n = 6408), bisphosphonates (n = 5801) and antipsychotics (n = 4380). Discontinuation rates were low (8.3-51.5 per 1000 person-years), and non-MDD users had higher discontinuation and reinitiation rates across all drugs.

conclusionDiscontinuation among Swedish older adults is infrequent. Irregular dispensing is likely misclassified as deprescribing, and MDD users may better reflect true discontinuation in routinely collected data.

Indexed as

DeprescriptionsAgedAged, 80 and overCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMalePolypharmacyPractice Patterns, Physicians'RegistriesSwedendeprescribingdiscontinuationdrugsmultidose drug dispensingolder adults

Identifiers

PMID40829946
PMCPMC12364622

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.