“Elderly polypharmacy rate Korea 70% vs OECD countries 48%"

Shin Hyun-young “need to review over-prescriptions and prepare measures for prevention.”

Statistics showed that a high rate - 70.2% - of older adults (aged 75 or over) in Korea chronically take ‘more than 5 drugs for over 3 months.’ The average of 7 OECD countries other than Korea that submitted the same data was only 48%.

 

In other words, concerns over the current polypharmacy status of elderly patients in Korea have been reaffirmed.

 

On the 4th, NA member Hyung-young Shin of the Democratic Party of Korea announced the results above after analyzing OECD data.

 

The medication rate of elderly patients in Korea has been globally high.

 

According to the OECD’s data on the ‘rate of patients aged 75 or over who chronically take 5 or more drugs for over 3 months,’ the average of the 7 countries that submitted the data was 48.3%, compared to the much higher rate of 70.2% in Korea.

 

However, Using an unnecessarily high amount of drugs in older adults can have a negative impact on their health.

 

According to the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital's report, patients aged 65 or older who take 5 or more drugs have an 18% increased risk of hospitalization and 25% increased risk of death than those who take 4 or fewer drugs.

 

According to the data that Shin received from the NHIS, 2.14% of the total population (1.13 million) in Korea takes 10 or more drugs.

 

Among those, the elderly accounted for the largest proportion with 10.26%, and the polypharmacy rate was higher in women (2.35%) than men.

 

The rate and number of patients using multiple drugs also increased with age.

 

The polypharmacy rate was 10.26% for people over 65 but 15.74% for people over 85.

 

By insurance premium quintile, polypharmacy rate was higher (12.52%) in medical aid beneficiaries than NHI policyholders.

 

The polypharmacy rate in elderly medical aid beneficiaries was 22.57%, which roughly translates to one in 4 to 5 patients.

 

Also, the proportion of the elderly was highest in the 1st and 10th insurance premium quintile (9.88%).

 

Furthermore, the polypharmacy rate was higher in patients with underlying diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, asthma/COPD, chronic renal failure, pulmonary tuberculosis, etc.

 

By population, the polypharmacy rate was highest in patients with chronic renal failure (18.38%), heart disease, (15.36%), cerebrovascular disease (13.86%).

 

The order was the same in elderly patients but at a higher rate - chronic renal failure (23.80%), heart disease (20.97%), cerebrovascular disease (18.31%).

 

Shin said, “As the rate of patients who take 10 or more drugs increases with age, we need to review whether the patients are taking unnecessary drugs due to over-prescription or redundant prescriptions.

 

In other words, institutional support on the appropriate use of drugs is needed, and a system that assigns primary care physicians for the elderly should be introduced to manage the elderly’s use of multiple drugs, as well as provide customized support on the appropriate use of healthcare.”