Profile, cost and pattern of prescriptions for polymedicated patients in Catalonia, Spain.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Polypharmacy is one of the main management issues in public health policies because of its financial impact and the increasing number of people involved. The polymedicated population according to their demographic and therapeutic profile and the cost for the public healthcare system were characterised.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Primary healthcare in Barcelona Health Region, Catalonia, Spain (5 105 551 inhabitants registered).

Participants

All insured polymedicated patients. Polymedicated patients were those with a consumption of ≥16 drugs/month.

Main outcomes measures

The study variables were related to age, gender and medication intake obtained from the 2008 census and records of prescriptions dispensed in pharmacies and charged t

SUBMITTER: Lizano-Diez I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3863130 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature