Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
04:34
Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Shugan Jieyu Capsules for the Treatment of Insomnia
Published on: February 17, 2023
1.6K
Association between polypharmacy and dementia - A systematic review and metaanalysis
Nattawut Leelakanok1, Ronilda R D'Cunha2
1a a Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Burapha University , Chonburi , Thailand.
Aging & Mental Health
|May 11, 2018
Summary
Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, is strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia. This finding suggests considering medication load in dementia assessments.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The relationship between polypharmacy and dementia remains debated.
- Existing literature requires synthesis to clarify this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and meta-analyze studies on polypharmacy and dementia.
- To quantify the association between medication use and dementia risk.
Main Methods:
- Searched EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts.
- Conducted a meta-analysis using random effects models.
- Included seven medium-to-high quality studies.
Main Results:
- Polypharmacy showed a significant association with dementia (pooled adjusted risk ratio [aRR] = 1.30).
- Excessive polypharmacy demonstrated a stronger association (pooled aRR = 1.52).
- Publication bias was a potential concern.
Conclusions:
- Polypharmacy is linked to dementia, though causality is not established.
- Recommends incorporating medication count into multidimensional dementia assessment tools.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Dementia
580
Dementia is a collective term for cognitive disorders primarily affecting memory, thinking, and reasoning. It is not a specific disease but a syndrome, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common cause, accounting for approximately 60-80% of cases. Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia affects millions worldwide, particularly older adults, though it is not a normal part of aging.
The progression of dementia is generally gradual....
The progression of dementia is generally gradual....
580
01:10Review and Preview
8.4K
In statistics, several tools are used to interpret the data. Measures of central tendency represent the characteristics of the data, such as mean, median, and mode. Additionally, measures of variance like standard deviation and range are used to find the spread of data from the mean. Relative standing measures the distance between data locations. Commonly used measures of relative standings are percentile, z score, and quartiles.
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
8.4K
01:13Review and Preview
11.6K
Data are individual items of information obtained from a population or sample. Data may be classified as qualitative (categorical), quantitative continuous, or quantitative discrete. Because it is not practical to measure the entire population in a study, researchers use samples to represent the population. A random sample is a representative group from the population chosen by using a method that gives each individual in the population an equal chance of being included in the sample. Random...
11.6K
01:20Random and Systematic Errors
15.2K
Scientists always try their best to record measurements with the utmost accuracy and precision. However, sometimes errors do occur. These errors can be random or systematic. Random errors are observed due to the inconsistency or fluctuation in the measurement process, or variations in the quantity itself that is being measured. Such errors fluctuate from being greater than or less than the true value in repeated measurements. Consider a scientist measuring the length of an earthworm using a...
15.2K
01:09Directing Effect of Substituents: meta-Directing Groups
6.0K
Substituents on the benzene ring that direct an incoming electrophile to undergo substitution at the meta position are called meta directors. All meta directors either have a positive charge on the atom directly bonded to the ring or a partial positive charge. These groups function by withdrawing electrons from the ring through inductive and resonance effects. Consider the carbocation intermediates formed upon the addition of an electrophile on nitrobenzene at the...
6.0K
01:17Systematic Sampling Method
13.4K
Sampling is a technique to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. Data are the result of sampling from a population. The sampling method ensures that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
13.4K