title: Exploring polypharmacy in elderly women after myocardial infarction.
abstract: The aims of the study were to: (a) examine the number, absolute volume, and type of daily medications older women were taking 6 to 12 months post-myocardial infarction (MI); (b) describe the financial burden of cardiac medications; and (c) examine the relationship of age, education, and income to the number of medications. An analysis of a cross-sectional descriptive study of women >or= 65 years of age who were post-MI was used. Most (89%; N = 83) were taking at least one cardiac medication, costs per day varied ($0.13-$6.75), and total number of pills taken per day was 1 to 19. Age, education, and income did not explain the number of medications. Consideration of the financial burden of medications is important to increase compliance and foster secondary prevention in older women.
authors.affiliation: Moses Cone Health System, Greensboro, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Lynda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: Patricia B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Crane
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016527:Drug Costs; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal / Q000191:economics; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054524:Medicare Part D / Q000191:economics; D055118:Medication Adherence; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D019338:Polypharmacy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015144:Southeastern United States; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014481:United States; D014930:Women / Q000193:education