CNS-Active Polypharmacy in Older Adults in Argentina
Author Information
Author(s): Ferraris Augusto MD, Angriman Federico MD, PhD, Barrera Tomas MD, Penizzotto Paula MD, Faerman Sol MD, Rivadeneira Washington MD, Chiessa Alan MD, Mura Gaspar MD, Pollán Javier Alberto MD, Szmulewicz Alejandro G. MD, PhD
Primary Institution: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hypothesis
What is the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy in older adults in Argentina?
Conclusion
One in 14 adults aged 60 years and older presented out-of-hospital CNS-active polypharmacy.
Supporting Evidence
- Pre-existing mental health diagnoses included anxiety (21%), depressive (14%) and sleep (11%) disorders.
- CNS-active polypharmacy occurred in 4535 patients, for a period prevalence of 7.1%.
- The combination of an antidepressant, an antipsychotic and a benzodiazepine accounted for 21% of the CNS-active polypharmacy events.
- Frontotemporal dementia was associated with a high odds ratio of 14.67 for CNS-active polypharmacy.
Takeaway
Many older people in Argentina take multiple medications that affect their brain, which can be risky.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study using data from out-patients aged ≥60 years affiliated with a health maintenance organization.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of CNS-active medication use due to reliance on pharmacy records.
Limitations
The study may not represent national trends and relied on medication purchases without capturing days of supply.
Participant Demographics
The cohort mainly comprised individuals aged 70 years or older, with a majority being female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 6.9–7.3%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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