The Prevalence and Risk Factors affecting polypharmacy among elderly patients in alkharj, Saudi Arabia

PURPOSE: This research is designed to investigate the Prevalence and Risk Factors affecting polypharmacy among elderly patients in alkharj, Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY: This research was performed as an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study of patients followed up in internal medicine outpatient clinics in the period between january 1, 2014 and December 1, 2014, at Salman Bin Abdelaziz university, medical hospital, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia (n=960). Elderly were defined for the purpose of this study as those who are aged ≥ 65, Polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of 5 or more medications. Version 18 (SPSS, Inc. Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A) was used for data entry, management and analysis.

RESULTS: Results found that the percent prevalence of polypharmacy among the study population is 41%..The commonest disease affecting elderly is diabetes mellitus, followed by hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and joint diseases,. The study’s findings showed that polypharmacy is affected significantly by gender (p = 0.015), no statistically significant relationship between polypharmacy and other factors (Age, marital status, level of education, and income). The study also showed that elderly patients are unaware of consequences of polypharmacy; (non-adherence, medication errors, adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, increased risk of hospitalization, and increased cost of treatment). The study results showed that medication counseling is mainly done by physicians, with minimal role for pharmacists or nurses.

CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy is a complex and worrying phenomenon that merits more research. Community pharmacists’ role in reducing this phenomenon needs to be enhanced. Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and all health providers who have a direct contact with the elders should be aware of polypharmacy. Supplementary studies are needed for delineating these findings further.

Keywords: Polypharmacy, elderly patients, Diabetes, Cross-sectional study