title: Profile, cost and pattern of prescriptions for polymedicated patients in Catalonia, Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Polypharmacy is one of the main management issues in public health policies because of its financial impact and the increasing number of people involved. The polymedicated population according to their demographic and therapeutic profile and the cost for the public healthcare system were characterised.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary healthcare in Barcelona Health Region, Catalonia, Spain (5 105 551 inhabitants registered).
  
  
  METHODS
  All insured polymedicated patients. Polymedicated patients were those with a consumption of ≥16 drugs/month.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study variables were related to age, gender and medication intake obtained from the 2008 census and records of prescriptions dispensed in pharmacies and charged to the public health system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 36 880 polymedicated patients (women: 64.2%; average age: 74.5±10.9 years). The total number of prescriptions billed in 2008 was 2 266 830 (2 272 920 total package units). The most polymedicated group (up to 40% of the total prescriptions) was patients between 75 and 84 years old. The average number of prescriptions billed monthly per patient was 32±2, with an average cost of €452.7±27.5. The total cost of those prescriptions corresponded to 2% of the drug expenditure in Catalonia. The groups N, C, A, R and M represented 71.4% of the total number of drug package units dispensed to polymedicated patients. Great variability was found between the medication profiles of men and women, and between age groups; greater discrepancies were found in paediatric patients (5-14 years) and the elderly (≥65 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides essential information to take steps towards rational drug use and a structured approach in the polymedicated population in primary healthcare.
authors: Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy Unit, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Lizano-Díez
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: Modamio
authors: Pilar
authors: P
authors: López-Calahorra
authors: Cecilia F
authors: CF
authors: Lastra
authors: Antoni
authors: A
authors: Gilabert-Perramon
authors: Jose L
authors: JL
authors: Segú
authors: Eduardo L
authors: EL
authors: Mariño
keywords: Epidemiology; Primary Care