Patterns of Drug Use and Factors Associated with Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients Visiting Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

Yeon-Kyung Jung; Kang-Joon Lee; Hyun Kim

doi:10.0000/jkna.2012.51.5.312

Journal List > J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc > v.51(5) > 1017597

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Jung, Lee, and Kim: Patterns of Drug Use and Factors Associated with Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients Visiting Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association

Journal of the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2012; 51(5): 312-317.

Published online: 30 September 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/jkna.2012.51.5.312

Patterns of Drug Use and Factors Associated with Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients Visiting Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

Yeon-Kyung Jung, MD, Kang-Joon Lee, MD, PhD, Hyun Kim, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Hyun Kim, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, 170 Juhwa-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang 411-706, Korea. Tel +82-31-910-7260, Fax +82-31-910-7268, intuit@paik.ac.kr

Received 29 June 2012 Revised 12 July 2012 Accepted 30 July 2012

Abstract

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the patterns and recent trends in polypharmacy among elderly patients visiting psychiatric outpatient clinic.

Methods

289 elderly patients visiting psychiatric outpatient clinic were interviewed and their medical records were thoroughly reviewed. Inclusion criteria were as follows : 1) 65 years and older age patients, 2) diagnosed with one or more psychiatric disorder according to ICD-10 criteria, 3) who were willing to participate in this research. Demographic data and clinical data, including prevalence of polypharmacy, doses and types of drugs both prescribed and self-administered, were analyzed. Polypharmacy was defined as the long-term simultaneous use of six or more drugs. Data were statistically analyzed by t-test, analysis of variance, and simple regression analysis.

Results

57.1% of the patients were prescribed with more than six drugs simultaneously. Mean number [±standard deviation (SD)] of psychiatric drug was 3.42±1.41. Prevalence of polyphamacy was different among psychiatric disorder groups, bipolar disorder group being the highest (mean±SD drug used=5.17±0.98). Regarding sedative-hypnotics, 59.5% of patients were prescribed (mean±SD drug used=2.02±1.07). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and total number of drugs prescribed were positively correlated (p<0.05). Herb medicine/dietary supplement had no influence on total number of used drugs.

Conclusion

Elderly patients are suffering from many comorbidities and vulnerable to multiple drug use that can be potentially harmful, so it is important and essential to be aware of the possibility of polypharmacy and prescribe appropriate drugs to improve their quality of life.

Keywords: Polypharmacy, Elderly, Psychiatric outpatient

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Comorbidities of psychiatric outpatients.

Table 1

Demographic characteristics

^* : Diagnosis according to International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10)

Table 2

Number of total drugs

Table 3

Number of drugs within psychiatric disorders

^* : Diagnosis according to International classification of diseases (ICD-10). SD : Standard deviation

Table 4

Regression analysis to examine influence of VAS on number of total drugs

VAS : Visual Analgue Scale

Table 5

Number of drugs within veterans and non-veterans

^* : Independent t-test

Notes

The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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