Geriatric populations represent one of the most susceptible demographics during the COVID-19 pandemic, accounting for a substantial percentage of mortality related to the virus. Although medication reviews and reconciliations conducted by pharmacists are effective in minimizing the occurrence of potentially inappropriate medications, these clinical services were suspended during the pandemic. To evaluate the prevalence of and the variables linked to the use of inappropriate medicines among older populations diagnosed with COVID-19. This study employed a retrospective, cross-sectional design to analyze medication regimens among hospitalized older adults with COVID-19. Instances of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use were classified in accordance with the Beers and STOPP criteria. Integrating both evaluation criteria revealed that 181 (32.7%) of the 553 included patients received at least one potentially inappropriate medication. The Beers 2019 criteria identified a slightly greater volume of inappropriate prescriptions (151 PIMs across 124 patients) relative to the STOPP criteria (133 PIMs across 104 patients). The prolonged administration of proton pump inhibitors (n = 68; 12.3%) and therapeutics that elevate the risk of postural hypotension (n = 41; 7.4%) constituted the most frequent PIMs observed. Furthermore, PIM utilization demonstrated a significant association with a history of hospital admission within the preceding 12 months (Odds ratio [OR]: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.29–3.99) alongside an increased quantity of medications prescribed at discharge. Approximately one-third of older individuals with COVID-19 were prescribed a PIM, and the subset of older adults experiencing polypharmacy expanded post-discharge. These findings underscore the critical need to involve clinical pharmacists in medication reviews, PIM identification, and the assessment of drug therapy appropriateness.
