Barat I, Andreasen F, Damsgaard E M
Geriatric Department C, Marselisborg Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark.
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2000 Sep;56(6-7):501-9. doi: 10.1007/s002280000157.
To examine the drug consumption and the extent of polypharmacy (defined as daily intake of three or more drugs) among 75-year-old persons living in their own homes and to point out potential problems associated with it.
Information on the intake of all drugs was collected from 492 subjects randomly selected. The subjects were interviewed at home, and their drug storage was examined. Information was also collected from the general practitioners (GPs) and from prescription databases. Database information comprised prescribed drugs used by the study population and the background population.
Eighty-seven percent of the study population received prescribed drugs and 72% used over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Only 3% of the subjects did not take any drugs. Eighty percent of females and 60% of males used central nervous system (CNS) drugs, the most commonly used category. The subjects took on average 4.2 different prescribed drugs and 2.5 OTC drugs. Sixty percent used three or more prescribed drugs and 34% used five or more. Thirty percent used three or more OTC drugs. Seventeen percent had prescribed drugs not in use at the time of the examination in their drug storage. Twenty-five percent of the prescribed drugs were used without the GPs' knowledge. Thirty-one percent of the study population received prescribed drugs from two or more physicians. Potential drug interactions with clinical significance were found among 15.3% of the participants and were positively correlated to polypharmacy.
Almost all 75-year-old persons receive drugs. The observed polypharmacy may increase drug-related risks. The discrepancies between the GPs' knowledge of their patients' medication and the actual intake may involve a potential risk. A better registration of the patients' total medication and the implementation of a common medication database for the use of all involved physicians may improve medication and reduce risks.
调查居家生活的75岁老人的药物消费情况及多重用药程度（定义为每日服用三种或更多药物），并指出与之相关的潜在问题。
从随机选取的492名受试者中收集所有药物摄入信息。对受试者进行家访并检查其药物储存情况。还从全科医生（GP）和处方数据库收集信息。数据库信息包括研究人群和背景人群使用的处方药。
87%的研究人群服用处方药，72%使用非处方药（OTC）。仅3%的受试者未服用任何药物。80%的女性和60%的男性使用中枢神经系统（CNS）药物，这是最常用的类别。受试者平均服用4.2种不同的处方药和2.5种非处方药。60%的人使用三种或更多种处方药，34%的人使用五种或更多种。30%的人使用三种或更多种非处方药。17%的人在检查时其药物储存中有未使用的处方药。25%的处方药是在全科医生不知情的情况下使用的。31%的研究人群从两名或更多医生处获得处方药。15.3%的参与者中发现了具有临床意义的潜在药物相互作用，且与多重用药呈正相关。
几乎所有75岁老人都服用药物。观察到的多重用药可能会增加与药物相关的风险。全科医生对患者用药情况的了解与实际用药之间的差异可能存在潜在风险。更好地记录患者的全部用药情况并为所有相关医生实施通用的用药数据库可能会改善用药并降低风险。
