Incidence of polypharmacy in a long-term care facility

The incidence of polypharmacy was investigated in a 200-bed long-term care facility. One hundred residents were drawn at random for the study. The average number of drugs prescribed per patient was 3.33, and the average number of pills was 6.34 daily. The most frequently prescribed drugs were the analgesics, followed in order by antihypertensive agents, cardiotonic preparations and antimicrobials. The literature is reviewed with respect to the incidence, causes and end-results of polypharmacy. It is recommended that long-term care facilities develop enlightened and aggressive pharmacy committees to monitor and evaluate drug use routinely in an institutional setting.