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An Increasing Trend in the Prevalence of Polypharmacy in Sweden : A Nationwide Register-Based Study

Zhang, Naiqi LU ; Sundquist, Jan LU ; Sundquist, Kristina LU and Ji, Jianguang LU orcid (2020) In Frontiers in Pharmacology 11.
Abstract

Aim: Polypharmacy is becoming a global health problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the temporal trends in the prevalence of polypharmacy in Sweden and to explore polypharmacy disparities by age, gender, education, and immigration status. Methods: Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were evaluated using data extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register between 2006 and 2014. Polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to five or more drugs and excessive polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to 10 or more drugs during 1 month respectively. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint Statistical Software. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy increased from 16.9% in 2006 to 19.0% in 2014... (More)

Aim: Polypharmacy is becoming a global health problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the temporal trends in the prevalence of polypharmacy in Sweden and to explore polypharmacy disparities by age, gender, education, and immigration status. Methods: Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were evaluated using data extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register between 2006 and 2014. Polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to five or more drugs and excessive polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to 10 or more drugs during 1 month respectively. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint Statistical Software. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy increased from 16.9% in 2006 to 19.0% in 2014 with an AAPC of 1.3; the prevalence of excess polypharmacy increased from 3.8% in 2006 to 5.1% in 2014 with an AAPC of 3.4. The prevalence of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy increased dramatically with age and peaked up to 79.6% and 36.4% in individuals aged 90 and above respectively. Females and individuals with lower education level were associated with a higher rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy. Immigrants from Middle-Eastern countries had the highest rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy, whereas individuals from Western Europe countries had the lowest rate. Conclusion: The prevalence of polypharmacy has increased gradually in Sweden during the past decade. Individuals with older age, female sex, or lower education have a higher rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy. Immigrants from Middle-Eastern countries showed a higher rate of polypharmacy.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
national cohort, polypharmacy, prevalence, Sweden, temporal trend
in
Frontiers in Pharmacology
volume
11
article number
326
publisher
Frontiers Media S. A.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85082695787
  • pmid:32265705
ISSN
1663-9812
DOI
10.3389/fphar.2020.00326
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d682db23-512c-45ef-8a5a-fdd328676e6b
date added to LUP
2020-04-21 16:02:33
date last changed
2024-06-26 13:53:51
@article{d682db23-512c-45ef-8a5a-fdd328676e6b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Aim: Polypharmacy is becoming a global health problem. The aims of this study were to evaluate the temporal trends in the prevalence of polypharmacy in Sweden and to explore polypharmacy disparities by age, gender, education, and immigration status. Methods: Polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were evaluated using data extracted from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register between 2006 and 2014. Polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to five or more drugs and excessive polypharmacy was defined as being exposed to 10 or more drugs during 1 month respectively. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated using Joinpoint Statistical Software. Results: The prevalence of polypharmacy increased from 16.9% in 2006 to 19.0% in 2014 with an AAPC of 1.3; the prevalence of excess polypharmacy increased from 3.8% in 2006 to 5.1% in 2014 with an AAPC of 3.4. The prevalence of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy increased dramatically with age and peaked up to 79.6% and 36.4% in individuals aged 90 and above respectively. Females and individuals with lower education level were associated with a higher rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy. Immigrants from Middle-Eastern countries had the highest rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy, whereas individuals from Western Europe countries had the lowest rate. Conclusion: The prevalence of polypharmacy has increased gradually in Sweden during the past decade. Individuals with older age, female sex, or lower education have a higher rate of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy. Immigrants from Middle-Eastern countries showed a higher rate of polypharmacy.</p>}},
  author       = {{Zhang, Naiqi and Sundquist, Jan and Sundquist, Kristina and Ji, Jianguang}},
  issn         = {{1663-9812}},
  keywords     = {{national cohort; polypharmacy; prevalence; Sweden; temporal trend}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{Frontiers Media S. A.}},
  series       = {{Frontiers in Pharmacology}},
  title        = {{An Increasing Trend in the Prevalence of Polypharmacy in Sweden : A Nationwide Register-Based Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2020.00326}},
  doi          = {{10.3389/fphar.2020.00326}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}