Abstract:

Introduction: Increased rates of increase in the elderly population, chronic illnesses and drugs usage are inevitable, making polypharmacy more frequent in older adults. Our study aimed to investigate the frequency of polypharmacy in the elderly and to examine their medication use. Materials and Method: Three hundred elderly individuals (aged >65 years) who visited our family medicine polyclinic were included in the study. In addition to collecting sociodemographic information, a questionnaire about current drug use was administered. Currently used drugs were listed by doctors and screened using screening tools. Data were analysed using the chi-square and Student’s t-tests; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 1,650 drugs were used by study participants. The mean number of drugs per patient was 5.50±2.84 (range, 1–14). Polypharmacy (≥5 drugs) was present in 187 (62.3%) participants; 5–9 drugs were used by 158 (52.7%). Hyperpolypharmacy (≥10 drugs) was present in 29 (9.7%) participants. In total, 317 (19.2%) drugs were on the list of the European Union Potentially Inappropriate Medications, and 195 (65%) patients were using at least one potentially inappropriate medication. A total of 124 (7.5%) medications were stopped due to unnecessary usage. Patients were referred to branch doctors because of 108 (6.5%) drugs. Conclusion: Polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication usage were both very frequent in this elderly population sample. Polypharmacy was positively related only to chronic diseases, negatively related to closely controlled therapy. For this reason, evaluation of drug use in the elderly is an important step.

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