@article {van Merendonkejhpharm-2021-003143, author = {Lisanne N van Merendonk and Bas J M Peters and Julia E M{\"o}hlmann and Cornelis B Hunting and Elisabeth A Kastelijn and Marcel P H van den Broek}, title = {The potential for deprescribing in a palliative oncology patient population: a cross-sectional study}, elocation-id = {ejhpharm-2021-003143}, year = {2022}, doi = {10.1136/ejhpharm-2021-003143}, publisher = {BMJ Specialist Journals}, abstract = {Objectives The use of preventive medication in palliative oncology patients may be inappropriate due to limited life expectancy. Deprescribing tools are available but time-consuming and not always tailored to this specific population. Our primary goal was to identify potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in palliative oncology patients with a life expectancy of up to 2 years using an adapted deprescribing tool. Our secondary aim was to identify patient characteristics associated with the presence of PIMs.Methods Oncology patients with a life expectancy of up to 2 years were included cross-sectionally. An adapted deprescribing tool was developed to identify PIMs. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with having PIMs.Results A total of 218 patients were included in this study of which 56\% had at least one PIM with a population mean of 1.1 PIM per patient. Most frequently defined PIMs were antihypertensive drugs and gastric acid inhibitors. Identification of PIMs by review took an estimated 5{\textendash}10 min per patient. Polypharmacy, age \>65 years and inpatient/outpatient status were found to be associated with having at least one PIM.Conclusions Deprescribing is possible in more than half of palliative oncology patients with a life expectancy of up to 2 years. The adapted deprescribing tool used is non-time consuming and suitable for palliative oncology patients, regardless of age.Data are available upon reasonable request.}, issn = {2047-9956}, URL = {https://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2022/02/22/ejhpharm-2021-003143}, eprint = {https://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2022/02/22/ejhpharm-2021-003143.full.pdf}, journal = {European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy} }