The prevalence of polypharmacy in elderly attenders to an emergency department - a problem with a need for an effective solution

Ashis Banerjee; David Mbamalu; Sayed Ebrahimi; Arshad Ali Khan; Toong Foo Chan

doi:10.1186/1865-1380-4-22

The prevalence of polypharmacy in elderly attenders to an emergency department - a problem with a need for an effective solution

Int J Emerg Med. 2011 Jun 2;4(1):22. doi: 10.1186/1865-1380-4-22.

Authors

Ashis Banerjee¹, David Mbamalu, Sayed Ebrahimi, Arshad Ali Khan, Toong Foo Chan

Affiliation

¹ Emergency Department, Chase Farm Hospital, The Ridgeway, Enfield EN 8JL, Middlesex, UK. libra19542003@yahoo.co.uk.

Abstract

We studied the prevalence of polypharmacy in attenders aged 75 years and over to an emergency department (ED) in North London over a period of 1 month. We identified 467 patients in this age group. Analysis of medications being prescribed revealed at least 82 patients on medication with the potential for adverse interaction. There is a need for ED-initiated strategies to identify interactions and for pathways to allow for medication review.