Polypharmacy and emergency readmission to hospital after critical illness: a population-level cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Polypharmacy is common and closely linked to drug interactions. The impact of polypharmacy has not been previously quantified in survivors of critical illness who have reduced resilience to stressors. Our aim was to identify factors associated with preadmission polypharmacy and ascertain whether polypharmacy is an independent risk factor for emergency readmission to hospital after discharge from a critical illness.

Methods

A population-wide cohort study consisting of patients admitted to all Scottish general ICUs between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2013, whom survived their ICU stay. Patients were stratified by presence of preadmission polypharmacy, defined as being prescribed five or more regular medications. The primary outcome was emergency hospital readmi

SUBMITTER: Turnbull AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8014911 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature