Polypharmacy, age, and scheduled surgery

To test the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the age of patients who present for scheduled surgery and the number of drugs taken by these patients.

Prospective clinical study.

Outpatient admissions.

150 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients 40 years of age or older, scheduled for outpatient surgery.

None.

Age, medical history, and prescription and nonprescription medications of these patients were recorded.

There was no significant difference among number of drugs taken by patients in different age groups [40 to 49 years: 3.2 +/- 3.1 (average number of drugs taken, standard deviation); 50 to 59 years: 3.6 +/- 3.1; 60 to 69 years: 4.0 +/- 2.9; 70 to 79 years: 4.4 +/- 2.7; 80+ years: 3.7 +/- 2.2].

Medical condition, which may, in part, be a function of biological age and not chronological age, is the primary determinant of the number of medications taken by patients presenting to an outpatient clinic for scheduled surgery.