Impact of polypharmacy to incidence, progression, and various features of frailty in community-dwelling older adults

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K21165
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Daimaru Kaori 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (60968527)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 多剤併用 / フレイル / 高齢者 / 横断研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Older adults often use several medications concurrently due to multimorbidity and are likely frail, a pre-stage of disability, due to the decline in physical and mental functions with aging. This study consisted of two cross-sectional studies that examined the association between polypharmacy or potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and frailty in older adults living in Tokyo, in terms of the number and types of medications. Older adults taking five or more concurrent medications were at a higher risk of frailty and its components, weight loss, low muscle strength, and low gait speed, than those taking 0-4 medications. An analysis of older women showed that the higher the number of medications that require cautious administration, the higher the risk of frailty and weight loss. These results suggest that appropriate management of the number and types of medications used together is important to maintain the health of the older adults.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生学、疫学、老年医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの研究では、高齢者での多剤併用や、高齢者で有害事象が出やすいため慎重な投与を要する薬（慎重投与薬）の数がフレイルにどのように関連するか、明らかではなかった。本研究は併用薬の数と種類の点から、高齢者の薬物治療とフレイルの関係を検討した。その結果、多剤併用者でフレイルの身体的要素のリスクが高く、慎重投与薬の数が多いほどフレイルのリスクが高いことが示された。本研究の社会的意義は、高齢者で多剤併用と慎重投与薬に留意して適切な薬物管理を行うことが重要であることが示唆されたことである。