title: [Prevalence of polypharmacy among the population older than 65 years in Spain: Analysis of the 2006 and 2011/12 National Health Surveys].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polypharmacy in older people is the result of several inter-connected factors, and is very common despite the associated risks. Not many population-based studies have been conducted in Spain to ascertain the magnitude of polypharmacy in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with individualised data for non-institutionalised older people (65 or older) of both sexes from the Spanish National Health Surveys (SNHS) 2006 (N=7,835) and 2011/12 (N=5,896). The prevalence of polypharmacy (use of 4 or more drugs within the 2 weeks preceding the survey) was ascertained for the 2 surveys used, as well as by sex and age groups. The prevalence of use of the different drug groups was also estimated in the elderly who used polypharmacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Polypharmacy occurred in about a third of the older people in the 2006 SNHS (32.54%), and was significantly higher in the 2011/12 SNHS (36.37%) (P<.05). In both surveys, the prevalence of polypharmacy was higher in women than men and among the older individuals (≥85 years) compared to the less old. The type of drugs most commonly used were analgesics (2006 SNHS: 71.93%, 2011/12 SNHS: 76.27%; P<.05), and antihypertensive drugs 2006 SNHS: 70.26%, 2011/12 SNHS: 78.10%; P<.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The magnitude of polypharmacy is considerable in older people and increasing over time. Further research on this issue is needed to identify those individuals who are at higher risk of using multiple drugs concomitantly.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España. Electronic address: mar.martinpe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martin-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: López de Andrés
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Valentín
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hernández-Barrera
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiménez-García
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Terapia Ocupacional, Rehabilitación y Medicina Física, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Domingo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palacios-Ceña
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Inmunología y Microbiología Médicas, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrasco-Garrido
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019338:Polypharmacy; D013030:Spain
keywords: Encuesta Nacional Salud; España; National Health Survey; Older people; Personas mayores; Polifarmacia; Polypharmacy; Spain