Polypharmacy correlates with increased risk for hip fracture in the elderly: a population-based study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Hip fracture is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly.
• The association between polypharmacy and hip fracture risk requires further investigation using population-based data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between polypharmacy and the risk of hip fracture in the elderly population in Taiwan.

Main Methods:

• A population-based case-control study was conducted using insurance claims data from Taiwan (2005-2007).
• 2328 elderly hip fracture cases and 9312 controls were analyzed.
• Odds ratios (OR) for hip fracture were assessed in relation to the number of daily medications used.

Main Results:

• Polypharmacy (≥5 medications) was more prevalent in hip fracture patients (22.2%) than controls (9.3%).
• The odds ratio for hip fracture increased with the number of medications and age.
• Patients using ≥10 medications had an OR of 8.42; those ≥85 years using ≥10 medications had an OR of 23.0 compared to younger controls using 0-1 medication.

Conclusions:

• Polypharmacy is a significant risk factor for hip fracture in the elderly, with risk escalating with the number of medications.
• The interaction between advanced age and polypharmacy substantially elevates hip fracture risk, especially in women.