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Journal of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 16(4)

Medicines use and polypharmacy in retirement village residents in Aotearoa New Zealand: a point prevalence observational study

Joanna Hikaka https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6792-6607 1 2 * , Zhenqiang Wu 3 , Michal Boyd 3 4 , Martin J. Connolly 1 3 , Joanna B. Broad 3 , Cheryl Calvert 3 5 , Annie Tatton 1 , Kathy Peri 4 , Katherine Bloomfield https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6679-1763 1 3
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

1 Waitematā District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.

2 Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

3 Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

4 School of Nursing, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

5 Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.

* Correspondence to: j.hikaka@auckland.ac.nz

Handling Editor: Felicity Goodyear-Smith

Journal of Primary Health Care 16(4) 407-411 https://doi.org/10.1071/HC24038
Submitted: 8 March 2024  Accepted: 22 April 2024  Published: 6 May 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Introduction

Polypharmacy increases the risk of medicines-related harm, including falls, in older adults. Falls have a significant impact on quality of life and health system resources. Little is known about medicine use in retirement village (RV) residents in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ).

Aim

Our study aimed to describe medicine use and the point prevalence of polypharmacy among a cohort of RV residents in Auckland, NZ.

Methods

Data collection occurred from July 2016 to June 2018. Eligible participants (those residing permanently in a RV) were recruited from RVs in Auckland, New Zealand. Medicines use data were collected using an interRAI assessment tool. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and Chi-squared tests were used for analysis.

Results

A total of 578 residents were recruited from 33 RVs and the median age was 81.6 years. Participants took a mean of 4.8 regular medicines (standard deviation = 2.9) and 0.7 ‘as required’ medicines. Anti-hypertensives (68.5%), lipid-lowering medicines (45.2%), antacids (39.4%) and antiplatelet agents (37.9%) were the most prescribed medicine classes. Polypharmacy (five-plus medicines; 51.8%) was common and hyperpolypharmacy (10-plus medicines; 5.7%) occurred infrequently.

Discussion

This study provides insight into medicines use by RV residents in Auckland, NZ. Medicines used for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease were used most commonly and polypharmacy was common. Active review of RV residents’ medicines is warranted, based on these findings and increasing evidence regarding the use of medicines, including those for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Trial registration

Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: CTRN12616000685415. Registered 25.5.2016. Universal Trial Number (UTN): U111–1173-6083.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction, aged, assisted living facilities, cardiovascular disease, frailty, medication review, pharmacoepidemiology, polypharmacy.

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