Polypharmacy in Elderly Emergency Department Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Ashis Banerjee, David Mbamalu, Sayed Ebrahimi, Arshad Ali Khan, Toong Foo Chan
Primary Institution: Chase Farm Hospital
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of polypharmacy in elderly patients attending an emergency department?
Conclusion
The study found that a significant number of elderly patients were on multiple medications, with many at risk for adverse drug interactions.
Supporting Evidence
- 209 patients (45%) were on five or more prescription drugs.
- 82 patients (39%) on polypharmacy had combinations that could lead to adverse reactions.
- One hundred five patients (22%) presented with a fall, the most common complaint.
Takeaway
Many older people who go to the emergency room take a lot of different medicines, which can sometimes cause problems.
Methodology
The study involved reviewing the medication lists of elderly patients attending the emergency department over a one-month period.
Potential Biases
Potential under-recording of medications in patients with minor injuries may have led to an underestimation of polypharmacy prevalence.
Limitations
Data collection was retrospective, which may limit the ability to correlate polypharmacy with specific presenting complaints.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 75 years and over, with a median age of 88 years; 265 females and 202 males.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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