OBJECTIVES :

To assess the prevalence and associated morbidity and mortality of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in a community-based population of older adults, looking for differences by CKD status.

METHODS :

We quantified baseline medication and PIM use (from Beers criteria, the Screening Tool of Older People’s Prescriptions, and Micromedex®) by level of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (N=6,392). We used negative binomial and Cox proportional hazards regressions to assess the relationship between polypharmacy, and PIM use, and subsequent hospitalization and death.

RESULTS :

Mean participant age was 76 (±5) years, 59% were female, and 29% had CKD (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m). Overall, participants reported 6.1 (±3.5) medications and 2.3 (±2.2) vitamins/supplements, 16% reported > CONCLUSIONS

Polypharmacy and PIM use were common with the former associated with higher risk of hospitalization and death; relative risks were similar for those with and without CKD.