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Defining polypharmacy in the elderly: a systematic review protocol.
Seyede Salehe Mortazavi1, Mohsen Shati2, Abasali Keshtkar3
1Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry-School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
BMJ Open
|March 26, 2016
Summary
Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications in older adults, lacks a clear definition, hindering research on its risks and consequences. This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate existing definitions to establish a comprehensive standard for better understanding medication use in the elderly.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Public Health and Epidemiology
Background:
- Aging increases the risk of multimorbidity and treatment complications in older adults.
- Polypharmacy, common in the elderly, is poorly understood due to inconsistent definitions and research approaches.
- Lack of a standardized definition for polypharmacy impedes conclusive research on its risk factors and consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and identify all definitions of polypharmacy used in literature concerning older adults.
- To evaluate the comprehensiveness and applicability of identified polypharmacy definitions.
- To establish a consensus-based, comprehensive definition of polypharmacy for older populations.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of multiple bibliographic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AgeLine) and grey literature.
- Two independent reviewers will screen articles, extract data, and select eligible sources.
- Extracted data will be categorized by study design, participants, setting, and methodological quality. Results will be summarized in a table.
Main Results:
- The review will identify various definitions of polypharmacy currently in use.
- An international expert webinar will be utilized to select the most comprehensive and applicable definition.
- The study will provide a clear, evidence-based definition of polypharmacy for older adults.
Conclusions:
- A standardized definition of polypharmacy is crucial for advancing research in geriatric pharmacotherapy.
- This systematic review will provide a foundation for consistent research on polypharmacy in older adults.
- The established definition will aid in identifying at-risk populations and developing targeted interventions.
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