Prevalence of Polypharmacy among Elderlies Who Attends the Primary Health Care Centers in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The rising incidence of non-communicable diseases is one of the greatest concerns confronting health systems worldwide in the twenty-first century. The elderly population's high prevalence of non-communicable diseases has increased drug prescriptions. Consequently, polypharmacy, or numerous drugs, has become prevalent. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of polypharmacy among the elderly population in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, who attends primary health care centers. A cross-sectional study was done on 400 participants. 60% of participants were 55-70 years old. 23.7% of elderly participants were with minor polypharmacy, 34.7% of elderly participants were with moderate polypharmacy, and 32.7% of elderly participants were with major polypharmacy as they had more than five medicines at the same time. This study revealed that most participants suffer from chronic health conditions and use high-dose medicines daily. In conclusion, the Saudi Arabia government and the welfare organizations of the Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah must arrange seminars and campaigns to raise awareness about the dependency on medicines and limit the negative effects of polypharmacy among this special group.