Using data from a comprehensive prescription drug benefit program in British Columbia, we studied the distribution of prescription drug expenditures and exposures in the community-dwelling elderly over a 1-year period. Overall, 84% of the population was exposed to at least one prescription drug. The 11% of individuals with the highest level of use accounted for 50% of total drug expenditures. Individuals 65 to 74 years of age were exposed to a median of 2.2 different drugs during the year compared to a median of 3.8 for those 75 years of age and over. Twenty-four percent of the 65- to 74-year-old population were exposed to six or more different drugs during a 1-year period compared to 37% of the 75 years and over population. Central nervous system and cardiovascular drugs were most commonly responsible for multiple drug exposures. Forty-eight percent of the individuals exposed to six or more different drugs received prescriptions from three or more different physicians. In British Columbia, 98% of the elderly receiving six or more different drugs received at least one prescription from a general practitioner or a family practitioner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Using data from a comprehensive prescription drug benefit program in British Columbia, we studied the distribution of prescription drug expenditures and exposures in the community-dwelling elderly over a 1-year period. Overall, 84% of the population was exposed to at least one prescription drug. The 11% of individuals with the highest level of use accounted for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","migration-helper-automated":[],"migration-manual":[],"topic":[17,56],"migration-helper-qa-sample-set":[],"class_list":["post-4469","journal_article","type-journal_article","status-publish","hentry","topic-older-people","topic-pharmacoepidemiology-and-drug-safety"],"acf":{"citation":"Anderson G, Kerluke K. J Clin Epidemiol<\/em>. 1996; 49(8):929-35.","source_url":"","ices_scientist":[1382],"site":[6735],"research_program":[6740],"news_release":[],"journal_article":[],"atlas":[],"research_report":[],"infographic":[],"video":[],"downloads":null,"links":null,"sitecore_item_id":"00AD73D3-DEBB-4A3C-83E4-E5607D1D62DD","sitecore_item_name":"Distribution-of-prescription-drug-exposures-in-the-elderly-description-and-implications","sitecore_field_values":"{\n \"Title\": \"Distribution of prescription drug exposures in the elderly: description and implications\",\n \"Citation\": \" Anderson G, Kerluke K. J Clin Epidemiol<\/em>. 1996; 49(8):929-35.<\/p>\",\n \"Abstract\": \" Using data from a comprehensive prescription drug benefit program in British Columbia, we studied the distribution of prescription drug expenditures and exposures in the community-dwelling elderly over a 1-year period. Overall, 84% of the population was exposed to at least one prescription drug. The 11% of individuals with the highest level of use accounted for 50% of total drug expenditures. Individuals 65 to 74 years of age were exposed to a median of 2.2 different drugs during the year compared to a median of 3.8 for those 75 years of age and over. Twenty-four percent of the 65- to 74-year-old population were exposed to six or more different drugs during a 1-year period compared to 37% of the 75 years and over population. Central nervous system and cardiovascular drugs were most commonly responsible for multiple drug exposures. Forty-eight percent of the individuals exposed to six or more different drugs received prescriptions from three or more different physicians. In British Columbia, 98% of the elderly receiving six or more different drugs received at least one prescription from a general practitioner or a family practitioner.<\/p>\",\n \"Keywords\": \"{3B67F4BE-E30A-434A-8669-AE2A085C94E0}|{AD1C8354-D3A0-4679-8E69-7A79EFFE3607}\",\n \"Research Programs\": \"{46DF28D2-EDE8-4DF2-8CC0-87CEF464E435}\",\n \"ICES Locations\": \"{FBE2D1B1-C0BA-423F-8D16-39466B6C1424}\",\n \"ICES Scientists\": \"{38899D1B-38E7-4517-8DA3-0BDDF1F9944D}\",\n \"Posted Date\": \"19960801T000000\",\n \"Show on Publications Landing Page\": \"1\"\n}","previous_url":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/publications\/journal-articles\/distribution-of-prescription-drug-exposures-in-the-elderly-description-and-implications\/"},"yoast_head":"\n