Polypharmacy in primary care: A population-based retrospective cohort study of electronic health records.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Polypharmacy, prescription of multiple medications to a patient, is a major challenge for health systems. There have been no peer-reviewed studies of polypharmacy prevalence and medication cost at a population level in England.

Aims

To determine prevalence and medication cost of polypharmacy, by patient characteristics. Design and setting: Retrospective cohort study of North West London electronic health records.

Method

We quantified prevalence and direct cost of polypharmacy (five or more regular medications), stratified by demographics and frailty. We fitted a mixed-effects logistic regression for polypharmacy.

Results

Of 1.7 million adults, 167,665 (9.4%) were on polypharmacy. Age and socio-economic deprivation were associated with polypharmacy (O

SUBMITTER: Woodcock T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11373791 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature