Trends in polypharmacy among U.S. adults with asthma, 2001-2020

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, is a growing concern, especially among chronic disease patients.
• Asthma management often involves multiple medications, increasing the risk of polypharmacy.
• Understanding polypharmacy trends in asthma patients is crucial for optimizing treatment and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate trends in polypharmacy prevalence among adults with asthma in the United States from 2001 to 2020.
• To examine how these trends vary by asthma severity and control levels.
• To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with polypharmacy in this population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2020).
• Employed joinpoint regression analysis to assess polypharmacy prevalence trends.
• Conducted multivariable logistic regression to identify associated factors.

Main Results:

• Overall polypharmacy prevalence among U.S. adults with asthma showed a stable trend (AAPC=1.02, p=0.71) between 2001 and 2020.
• Trends remained stable across different asthma severity (mild, moderate, severe) and asthma control (good, poor) strata.
• Older age, female sex, Non-Hispanic Black race, insurance, income, healthcare visits, smoking history, comorbidities, asthma severity, and control were associated with polypharmacy.

Conclusions:

• Polypharmacy prevalence has been constant in U.S. adults with asthma over the past two decades.
• Despite stable overall trends, significant disparities in polypharmacy exist based on asthma severity and control.
• Tailored medication management strategies are essential to address these disparities and improve asthma care.