Polypharmacy in the elderly: a literature review

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Primary Care Research

Background:

• Polypharmacy, the concurrent use of multiple medications, is prevalent in older adults.
• Managing multiple medications in elderly individuals presents challenges for primary care providers.
• Understanding current practices and interventions for polypharmacy is crucial for improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the literature on polypharmacy in adults aged 60 and older.
• To determine primary care providers' definitions and assessment methods for polypharmacy.
• To identify tested interventions for addressing polypharmacy in this population.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of electronic bibliographic databases (1991-2003).
• Searches included terms like "polypharmacy," "polypharmacy and elderly," and "multiple medications."
• Supplemented by journal searches and reference list reviews.

Main Results:

• Polypharmacy is a persistent and significant issue in the elderly population.
• Limited research exists on how primary care providers assess polypharmacy.
• A notable gap in the literature concerns interventions used by primary care providers.

Conclusions:

• A more practical definition of polypharmacy focuses on clinically indicated medications rather than arbitrary limits.
• Interventions and assessment strategies for polypharmacy in primary care require further investigation.
• Addressing polypharmacy is essential for optimizing medication use and patient safety in older adults.