Polypharmacy: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Robert Badgett
No edit summary
imported>Robert Badgett
No edit summary
Line 4: Line 4:
Taking 4 or more prescriptions daily is more common among low income patients according to one survey.<ref> USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Survey: the public on prescription drugs and pharmaceutical companies - kaiser family foundation. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/pomr030408pkg.cfm.</ref> This occurs in 32% of patients with household income below $25,000; whereas this occurs in 12% of those with household income above $75,000.
Taking 4 or more prescriptions daily is more common among low income patients according to one survey.<ref> USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Survey: the public on prescription drugs and pharmaceutical companies - kaiser family foundation. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/pomr030408pkg.cfm.</ref> This occurs in 32% of patients with household income below $25,000; whereas this occurs in 12% of those with household income above $75,000.


Using 11 or more chronic [[medication]]s is a risk factor for [[drug toxicity]].<ref>{{Cite journal
Using 11 or more chronic [[medication]]s is a risk factor for [[drug toxicity]].<ref name="pmid21693525">{{cite journal| author=Guthrie B, McCowan C, Davey P, Simpson CR, Dreischulte T, Barnett K| title=High risk prescribing in primary care patients particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events: cross sectional population database analysis in Scottish general practice. | journal=BMJ | year= 2011 | volume= 342 | issue=  | pages= d3514 | pmid=21693525 | doi=10.1136/bmj.d3514 | pmc= | url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=21693525  }} </ref>
| doi = 10.1136/bmj.d3514
| issn = 0959-8138
| volume = 342
| issue = jun21 1
| pages = d3514-d3514
| last = Guthrie
| first = B.
| coauthors = C. McCowan, P. Davey, C. R. Simpson, T. Dreischulte, K. Barnett
| title = High risk prescribing in primary care patients particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events: cross sectional population database analysis in Scottish general practice
| journal = BMJ
| accessdate = 2011-06-23
| date = 2011-06
| url = http://www.bmj.com/cgi/doi/10.1136/bmj.d3514
}}</ref>


Combining multiple medications into a single 'polypill' may help patients.<ref>{{Cite journal
Combining multiple medications into a single 'polypill' may help patients.<ref>{{Cite journal

Revision as of 16:47, 14 December 2012

This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.

Polypharmacy is defined as "the use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication."[1] Polypharmacy hinders patient compliance with medications and may increase adverse drug reactions[2].

Taking 4 or more prescriptions daily is more common among low income patients according to one survey.[3] This occurs in 32% of patients with household income below $25,000; whereas this occurs in 12% of those with household income above $75,000.

Using 11 or more chronic medications is a risk factor for drug toxicity.[4]

Combining multiple medications into a single 'polypill' may help patients.[5]

However, taking "three drugs at half standard dose in combination" may be better than one drug at standard dose according to a systematic review.[6]

Reducing polypharmacy

Matching patients' medical problems and their medicines may identify unneeded or low priority drugs that can be discontinued.[7]

Delaying antibiotics for 48 hours while waiting on improvement of respiratory tract infections[8][9] or cystitis[10] may reduce antibiotic usage and reconsultation; however, this strategy may reduce patient satisfaction.

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Polypharmacy. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.
  2. Muir AJ, Sanders LL, Wilkinson WE, Schmader K (2001). "Reducing medication regimen complexity: a controlled trial". J Gen Intern Med 16 (2): 77–82. DOI:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016002077.x. PMID 11251757. Research Blogging. Full text at PubMed Central
  3. USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health Survey: the public on prescription drugs and pharmaceutical companies - kaiser family foundation. Retrieved March 10, 2008, from http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/pomr030408pkg.cfm.
  4. Guthrie B, McCowan C, Davey P, Simpson CR, Dreischulte T, Barnett K (2011). "High risk prescribing in primary care patients particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events: cross sectional population database analysis in Scottish general practice.". BMJ 342: d3514. DOI:10.1136/bmj.d3514. PMID 21693525. Research Blogging.
  5. "Effects of a polypill (Polycap) on risk factors in middle-aged individuals without cardiovascular disease (TIPS): a phase II, double-blind, randomised trial". The Lancet In Press, Corrected Proof. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60611-5. ISSN 0140-6736. Retrieved on 2009-03-31. Research Blogging.
  6. Law MR, Morris JK, Wald NJ (2009). "Use of blood pressure lowering drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of 147 randomised trials in the context of expectations from prospective epidemiological studies". BMJ 338: b1665. PMID 19454737. PMC 2684577[e]
  7. Steinman MA, Hanlon JT (2010). "Managing medications in clinically complex elders: "There's got to be a happy medium".". JAMA 304 (14): 1592-601. DOI:10.1001/jama.2010.1482. PMID 20940385. Research Blogging.
  8. Spurling G, Del Mar C, Dooley L, Foxlee R (2007). "Delayed antibiotics for respiratory infections". Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (3): CD004417. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD004417.pub3. PMID 17636757. Research Blogging.
  9. Moore M, Little P, Rumsby K, Kelly J, Watson L, Warner G et al. (2009). "Effect of antibiotic prescribing strategies and an information leaflet on longer-term reconsultation for acute lower respiratory tract infection.". Br J Gen Pract 59 (567): 728-34. DOI:10.3399/bjgp09X472601. PMID 19843421. PMC PMC2751917. Research Blogging.
  10. Little P, Turner S, Rumsby K, et al (March 2009). "Dipsticks and diagnostic algorithms in urinary tract infection: development and validation, randomised trial, economic analysis, observational cohort and qualitative study". Health Technol Assess 13 (19): iii–iv, ix–xi, 1–73. DOI:10.3310/hta13190. PMID 19364448. Research Blogging.