Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
I have a multidisciplinary background in pharmacy, epidemiology, and data science, and expertise in outcome-based health informatics and pharmacoepidemiology. My overarching research purpose is to develop a coordinated approach to accelerate real-world evidence using Big data to improve ageing and pioneer translational research to improve the safety of medicines in the ageing population.
As a member and key co-investigator within the Big Data and Better Ageing Research Group (along with Professor Philip Schluter and Associate Professor Hamish Jamieson (lead): https://www.otago.ac.nz/big-data-better-ageing/staff/index.html), my research has significantly impacted and advanced research in [a] improved understanding of the harmful effects of polypharmacy (application of drug burden index on big data) at a population-level, [b] quantifying multimorbidity (developed comorbidity index) in the ageing population, [c] using improved confounding methods for causal inference in observational studies, and more recently [d] using artificial intelligence to understanding clustering of multiple long-term conditions in the ageing population. In addition, my research has directly impacted patient care with a better understanding of the risks and benefits of using medicines in the ageing population.
I am interested to recruit doctoral students. Current projects on offer:
1. Development and validation of a novel anticholinergic tool to quantify anticholinergic burden.
2. Novel pharmacoepidemiological approaches to predict adverse drug reactions.
3. Measuring the impact of drug burden and polypharmacy on health outcomes in older people.
4. Artificial intelligence for identifying disease clusters in age-related multimorbidity.
5. Measuring the impact of the anticholinergic burden on health outcomes in individuals with dementia.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Pharmacy, Doctor of Philosophy, Impact of medication reviews on quality use of psychotropics, University of Sydney
Award Date: 18 Dec 2009
External positions
Senior Research Fellow, University of Otago
9 Oct 2018 → …
Keywords
- RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
- RS Pharmacy and materia medica
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 5 Finished
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NERC GW4+: Leveraging Deep Learning to Uncover Hidden Patterns of Adverse Events in FAERS Data
Nishtala, P. (PI) & Babbar, R. (PI)
1/07/23 → 31/08/23
Project: Research council
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A sense-act digital technology for the home-based care of diabetic foot ulcers
Preatoni, E. (PI), Cioroianu, I. (CoI), Ehrhardt, B. (CoI), Gurevich, D. (CoI), Kreusser, L. (CoI), Lazarus, J. (CoI), Metcalfe, B. (CoI), Nishtala, P. (CoI), Sharp, T. (CoI) & Carter, J. (Researcher)
25/02/23 → 31/07/23
Project: Research-related funding
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Development of a digital therapeutic intervention to improve the quality of life and reduce the healthcare costs of those living with chronic diseases
Preatoni, E. (PI), Cioroianu, I. (PI), Ehrhardt, B. (PI), Gurevich, D. (PI), Kreusser, L. (PI), Lazarus, J. (PI), Metcalfe, B. (PI), Nishtala, P. (PI) & Sharp, T. (PI)
1/09/22 → 28/02/23
Project: Research-related funding
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Artificial intelligence for identifying new disease clusters in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory conditions: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Nishtala, P. (PI), Isupova, O. (CoI), McGrogan, A. (CoI), McHugh, N. (CoI), Roy, S. (CoI), Tillett, W. (CoI) & Snowball, J. (Researcher)
National Institute for Health Research
4/01/21 → 31/12/21
Project: Central government, health and local authorities
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Examining risks of bleeding and cardiovascular events in older people using anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapy
Nishtala, P. (PI)
1/01/15 → 31/12/15
Project: Project at a former HEI
Research output
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Potentially inappropriate polypharmacy is an important predictor of 30-day emergency hospitalisation in older adults: a machine learning feature validation study
Olender, R. T., Roy, S. & Nishtala, P. S., 6 Jun 2025, In: Age and Ageing. 54, 6Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Antibiotic-Associated Acute Kidney Injury Among Older Adults: A Case-Crossover Study
Chinzowu, T., Chyou, T.-Y. & Nishtala, P. S., 29 Feb 2024, In: Clinical Drug Investigation. 44, 2, p. 131-139 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Citations (SciVal)25 Downloads (Pure) -
Assessing the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden Classification of Putative Anticholinergic Drugs Using Drug Properties
Nishtala, P., Fotaki, N. & Phutietsile, G., 30 Sept 2024, In: British Journal Of Clinical Pharmacology. 90, 9, p. 2236-2255 20 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Drug Burden Index is a Modifiable Predictor of 30-Day-Hospitalization in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Complex Care Needs: Machine Learning Analysis of InterRAI Data
Olender, R. T., Roy, S., Jamieson, H. A., Hilmer, S. N. & Nishtala, P. S., 1 Aug 2024, In: Journal of Gerontology: series A - Medical Sciences. 79, 8, glae130.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access8 Downloads (Pure) -
Investigating Variations in Medicine Approvals for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-Country Document Analysis Comparing Drug Labeling
Tanana, L., Latif, A., Nishtala, P. S. & Chen, T. F., 30 Sept 2024, In: Journal of Attention Disorders. 28, 11, p. 1437-1453 17 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access
Activities
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Warning as antidepressant taken by millions has a disturbing effect on brain function in major new study
Nishtala, P. (No value)
25 Feb 2025Activity: Media article or participation, blog › Media article or participation
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EuGMS Congress 2024
Nishtala, P. (Speaker)
18 Sept 2024Activity: Academic conferences and events (excluding conference publications) › Conference presentation / attendance
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Antidepressants may hasten decline from dementia, study says. Experts are unconvinced
Nishtala, P. (No value)
26 Feb 2025Activity: Media article or participation, blog › Media article or participation
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Antidepressants Might Accelerate Dementia Decline
Nishtala, P. (No value)
26 Feb 2025Activity: Media article or participation, blog › Media article or participation
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Dementia: Some Antidepressants May Speed Up Decline, Neuroscientists Warn
Nishtala, P. (No value)
25 Feb 2025Activity: Media article or participation, blog › Media article or participation