Factors Associated with Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients in Primary Care

Abstract

Objective: To identify factors associated with polypharmacy in elderly patients. Methods: analytical cross-sectional study carried out between March and April 2023, 440 adults >60 years of age from a family medicine unit in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, participated. Descriptive statistics were performed, and frequencies and percentages were obtained, as well as measures of central tendency and dispersion; contingency tables were used in the bivariate analysis; a p value <0.05, and 95% ci were considered statistically significant. Results: 63.6% of the adults presented polypharmacy, and 7% excessive polypharmacy; a mean age of 72 years was observed, with a higher prevalence in women (55.4%), the most relevant predisposing factors were chronic diseases such as diabetes (p