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Table 3 Secondary outcome measures

From: Effectiveness of medicines review with web-based pharmaceutical treatment algorithms in reducing potentially inappropriate prescribing in older people in primary care: a cluster randomized trial (OPTI-SCRIPT study protocol)

Secondary outcome

Measure

Drug-specific outcomes

The absolute number of PIPs per patient of the top five occurring PIP drugs: [11]

Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for peptic ulcer disease at full therapeutic dosage for >8 weeks

Long-term (>3 months) use of NSAIDs for relief of mild joint pain in osteoarthritis

Long-term (>1 month) use of long-acting benzodiazepines, for example, chlordiazepoxide, flurazepam, nitrazepam, chlorazepate and benzodiazepines with long-acting metabolites for example, diazepam

Any regular duplicate drug class prescription

TCAs with an opiate or calcium channel blocker

Mean number of PIPs per patient of the top five PIP drugs (as above)

Patient-reported outcomes

Health status (EQ-5D)

Patients’ Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ)

Well-being Questionnaire (WBQ-12)

Process-of-care measures

Number of GP visits (6 months prior to enrolment and at 4 and 12 month follow-up)

Number of hospital admissions (6 months prior to enrolment and at 4 and 12 month follow-up

Process evaluations

Decisions made per PIP

Number of times alternatives were prescribed

Reported primary reason for decision made for example, risks outweigh benefits, patient preference, hospital/consultant initiated