From: The rising tide of polypharmacy and drug-drug interactions: population database analysis 1995–2010
1995 | 2010 | 2010 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. (%) of patients n = 301,019 | No. (%) of patients n = 311,881 | Age-sex standardised %* | Age-sex standardised relative risk 2010 vs. 1995 (95% CI) | |
Dispensed 0 drugs | 148,828 (49.4) | 128,155 (41.1) | 42.8 | 0.87 (0.86–0.87) |
Dispensed 1–4 drugs | 117,829 (39.1) | 114,540 (36.7) | 36.4 | 0.93 (0.92–0.94) |
Dispensed 5–9 drugs | 29,311 (9.7) | 50,972 (16.3) | 15.3 | 1.57 (1.55–1.60) |
Dispensed 10–14 drugs | 4,481 (1.5) | 14,662 (4.7) | 4.4 | 2.92 (2.83–3.02) |
Dispensed ≥15 drugs | 570 (0.2) | 3,552 (1.1) | 1.1 | 5.58 (5.11–6.10) |
Dispensed any drug from BNF chapter | ||||
1 (gastrointestinal) | 37,813 (12.6) | 56,536 (18.1) | 17.1 | 1.36 (1.35–1.38) |
2 (cardiovascular) | 50,593 (16.8) | 85,140 (27.3) | 25.2 | 1.49 (1.48–1.51) |
3 (respiratory) | 18,368 (6.1) | 24,760 (7.9) | 7.7 | 1.26 (1.24–1.28) |
4 (central nervous system) | 55,920 (18.6) | 81,902 (26.3) | 25.4 | 1.37 (1.36–1.38) |
5 (infections) | 48,610 (16.1) | 46,934 (15.0) | 14.8 | 0.92 (0.90–0.93) |
6 (endocrine) | 26,469 (8.8) | 44,695 (14.3) | 13.5 | 1.53 (1.51–1.55) |
7 (O&G, and urinary tract) | 11,695 (3.9) | 23,126 (7.4) | 7.4 | 1.91 (1.87–1.95) |
8 (malignancy, immunosuppression) | 1,686 (0.6) | 3,062 (1.0) | 0.9 | 1.64 (1.54–1.74) |
9 (nutrition and blood) | 8,634 (2.9) | 15,217 (4.9) | 4.7 | 1.62 (1.58–1.67) |
10 (musculoskeletal) | 26,166 (8.7) | 26,185 (8.4) | 8.0 | 0.92 (0.91–0.94) |
11 (eye) | 8,166 (2.7) | 11,726 (3.8) | 3.5 | 1.30 (1.27–1.34) |
12 (ear, nose, and throat) | 8,633 (2.9) | 12,459 (4.0) | 3.8 | 1.34 (1.30–1.37) |
13 (skin) | 23,345 (7.8) | 31,644 (10.1) | 9.9 | 1.28 (1.26–1.30) |
Number of BNF chapters dispensed drugs from | ||||
0 | 148,828 (49.4) | 128,155 (41.1) | 42.8 | 0.87 (0.86–0.87) |
1 | 65,584 (21.8) | 64,625 (20.7) | 20.7 | 0.95 (0.94–0.96) |
2 | 40,561 (13.5) | 45,439 (14.6) | 14.2 | 1.05 (1.04–1.07) |
3 | 22,548 (7.5) | 30,129 (9.7) | 9.2 | 1.23 (1.21–1.25) |
4 | 12,581 (4.2) | 19,646 (6.3) | 5.9 | 1.42 (1.39–1.45) |
5+ | 10,917 (3.6) | 23,887 (7.7) | 7.1 | 1.97 (1.92–2.01) |