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Background: Although increasing attention has been given to the evaluation of use of potentially inappropriate medication in the older European Union (EU) member countries, information on this topic from Central and Eastern Europe is scarce., Objectives: The aims of the present study were: to identify risk factors enhancing the probability of use of potentially inappropriate medication in hospitalized older patients under the conditions of the Slovak healthcare system and to compare our results with previously published European studies., Methods: The evaluation was performed in 600 patients aged > or =65 years, hospitalized in a general hospital between 1 December 2003 and 31 March 2005. To identify the use of potentially inappropriate medication, the Beers 2003 criteria were applied. Particular socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as comorbid medical conditions were evaluated among possible factors enhancing the probability of use of potentially inappropriate medication., Results: At least one potentially inappropriate medication was prescribed to 126 (21%) of 600 patients. Multivariate analysis identified polypharmacy [odds ratio (OR) 2.38; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.50-3.79], depression (OR 2.03; 95% CI: 1.08-3.82), immobilization (OR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.16-3.00) and heart failure (OR 1.73; 95% CI: 1.13-2.64) as factors associated with an increased risk of use of inappropriate medication. In contrast, patients aged > or =75 years had a lower risk of being prescribed potentially inappropriate medication (OR 0.58; 95% CI: 0.39-0.88)., Conclusions: Polypharmacy, immobilization, heart failure and depression were documented as predictors of use of potentially inappropriate medication. In depressive patients, drugs other than antidepressants contributed to the extensive use of potentially inappropriate medication. The observed prevalence of use of potentially inappropriate medication in older hospitalized Slovak patients was lower than the prevalence previously documented in Poland and the Czech Republic, but higher than in Croatia and Turkey. The identified risk factors were consistent with previous findings from other parts of Europe.