https://www.demogr.mpg.de/publications/files/3444_1264435180_1_Christensen%20et%20al%20Lancet%20374%209696%202009.pdf

Ageing populations: the challenges ahead

Aging with multimorbidity: a systematic review of the literature

Multimorbidity and the associated use of multiple medicines (polypharmacy), is common in the older population. Despite this, there is no consensus definition for polypharmacy. A systematic review was conducted to identify and summarise polypharmacy definitions in existing literature. The reporting of this systematic review conforms to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE and Cochrane were systematically searched, as well as grey literature, to identify articles which defined the term polypharmacy (without any limits on the types of definitions) and were in English, published between 1st January 2000 and 30th May 2016. Definitions were categorised as i. numerical only (using the number of medications to define polypharmacy), ii. numerical with an associated duration of therapy or healthcare setting (such as during hospital stay) or iii. Descriptive (using a brief description to define polypharmacy). A total of 1156 articles were identified and 110 articles met the inclusion criteria. Articles not only defined polypharmacy but associated terms such as minor and major polypharmacy. As a result, a total of 138 definitions of polypharmacy and associated terms were obtained. There were 111 numerical only definitions (80.4% of all definitions), 15 numerical definitions which incorporated a duration of therapy or healthcare setting (10.9%) and 12 descriptive definitions (8.7%). The most commonly reported definition of polypharmacy was the numerical definition of five or more medications daily (n = 51, 46.4% of articles), with definitions ranging from two or more to 11 or more medicines. Only 6.4% of articles classified the distinction between appropriate and inappropriate polypharmacy, using descriptive definitions to make this distinction. Polypharmacy definitions were variable. Numerical definitions of polypharmacy did not account for specific comorbidities present and make it difficult to assess safety and appropriateness of therapy in the clinical setting.

/pdf/what-is-polypharmacy-a-systematic-review-of-definitions-4peoigk97w.pdf

What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of definitions

Defeating Alzheimer's disease and other dementias : a priority for European science and society

/pdf/defeating-alzheimer-s-disease-and-other-dementias-a-priority-2d414i7vsl.pdf

Defeating Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: a priority for European science and society

Health At A Glance

Background and aims: A large, national, long-term, longitudinal, multi-purpose study has been launched in Sweden - the Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC). The study involves four resea ...

A longitudinal study integrating population, care and social services data. The Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC).

Objective: This study investigates the changes in drug use, polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between educational groups of Swedish elderly over a 10-year period from 1992 - ...

Trends in polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions across educational groups in elderly patients in Sweden for the period 1992 - 2002.

Objectives: The authors explored the association between complexity of primary lifetime occupation and cognition in older adulthood. Method: The study included 386 participants from the Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old, a nationally representative sample aged 77 years or older. The authors examined complexity of work with data, people, and things in relation to cognitive functioning, measured with a shortened version of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and cognitive impairment based on MMSE score cutoff. Results: Complexity of work with data and people were associated with better MMSE scores, controlling for age, sex, childhood socioeconomic status, and education. The association between complexity of work with data and MMSE remained statistically significant when adult occupational status was substituted for education as a covariate. Discussion: Complexity of primary lifetime occupation may be reflected in cognitive functioning even in advanced old age. This effect may be in...

Mats Thorslund

Papers

A longitudinal study integrating population, care and social services data. The Swedish National study on Aging and Care (SNAC).

Trends in polypharmacy and potential drug-drug interactions across educational groups in elderly patients in Sweden for the period 1992 - 2002.

Complexity of Primary Lifetime Occupation and Cognition in Advanced Old Age

Analysis of the association between polypharmacy and socioeconomic position among elderly aged ≥77 years in Sweden

Can elderly people take their medicine