Marković-Peković Vanda, Škrbić Ranko
Vojnosanit Pregl. 2016 May;73(5):435-41. doi: 10.2298/vsp150224032m.
BACKGROUND/AIM: Prescription of drugs is a fundamental care component of the elderly. Elderly patients often take multiple drugs, and it is known that polypharmacy may lead to drug interactions and adverse events. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term drug use and the prevalence of polypharmacy among the elderly population in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS; A retrospective study of outpatient drug use in 2005 and 2010 was conducted, analyzing prescriptions for patients aged ≥ 65 years reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund. The study population was stratified by gender and age. Long-term drug use was defined as continuous drug dispensing for a whole year or at least two thirds of the year. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of 5 or more different reimbursed drugs.
Of all insured people aged ≥ 65 years, long-term drug use was identified in 10% (2005) and in 19% (2010), of whom 62% were women. Two to four different drugs were used by almost 49% (2005) and 54% (2010) of the elderly patients. The polypharmacy prevalence increased from 1.4% (2005) to 3.6% (2010); it increased in all the age groups of both genders. The largest increase was observed in the age group 65-74 years. Polypharmacy prevalence increase was higher in women. The most commonly used drugs were those for to treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in particular drugs for hypertension and cardiac treatment.
The study findings point out to the increase of elderly population with a long-term drug use. Over a half of elderly patients use 2-4 different drugs on the long-term basis. The polypharmacy prevalence was low. It increased in the period of 5 years in both genders. The increase was more prominent in women of all the age groups. The use of multiple drugs and polypharmacy increased with ageing.
背景/目的：药物处方是老年人基本医疗护理的组成部分。老年患者常服用多种药物，且已知多重用药可能导致药物相互作用和不良事件。本研究的目的是分析波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那斯普斯卡共和国老年人群的长期用药情况及多重用药的患病率。方法：对2005年和2010年门诊用药进行回顾性研究，分析由健康保险基金报销的65岁及以上患者的处方。研究人群按性别和年龄分层。长期用药定义为全年或至少三分之二年持续配药。多重用药定义为使用5种或更多不同的报销药物。
在所有65岁及以上参保人群中，2005年长期用药者占10%，2010年占19%，其中62%为女性。近49%（2005年）和54%（2010年）的老年患者使用2至4种不同药物。多重用药患病率从2005年的1.4%增至2010年的3.6%；在两个性别的所有年龄组中均有所增加。65 - 74岁年龄组增幅最大。女性多重用药患病率增幅更高。最常用的药物是用于治疗心血管疾病的药物，尤其是治疗高血压和心脏病的药物。
研究结果表明长期用药的老年人群有所增加。超过一半的老年患者长期使用2至4种不同药物。多重用药患病率较低。在5年期间，两个性别的患病率均有所增加。在所有年龄组的女性中增幅更为显著。多种药物的使用及多重用药情况随年龄增长而增加。
