Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly

Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly

This indicator data reflects the number of citizens aged 75 and older who, during each year's four-month observation period (August to November), have purchased 10 or more different medications from a pharmacy. When interpreting these figures, it should be noted that different years are not entirely comparable due to changes in the source register and regional classification.

In 2022, the proportion of individuals with significant polypharmacy was 20% of all elderly individuals aged 75 and older, and from 2020 to 2022, the proportion of individuals with significant polypharmacy increased annually in all well-being regions. Polypharmacy can be a deliberate and rational approach to treatment when the overall medication regimen has been appropriately assessed, and the need, correct usage, dosage, and medication-related issues for all available medications are regularly evaluated. However, polypharmacy can also increase the risks associated with medication therapy and the need for healthcare resources without providing clear additional benefits for health.

Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly, Well-being regions

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Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly in Finland and by and by well-being region 2020-2023
Well-being regions Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2023 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2023 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2023 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2022 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2022 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2022 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2021 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2021 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2021 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2020 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2020 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2020 Sort the table ascending by the column
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY 140 291 670 493 20,9 129 268 645 718 20,0 119 839 615 966 19,5 109 915 585 964 18,8
Varsinais-Suomi 12 994 62 349 20,8 12 050 60 111 20,0 10 966 57 201 19,2 9 951 54 080 18,4
Satakunta 6 537 32 277 20,3 6 085 31 239 19,5 5 577 29 913 18,6 4 989 28 720 17,4
Kanta-Häme 5 160 23 750 21,7 4 735 22 749 20,8 4 257 21 631 19,7 3 954 20 524 19,3
Pirkanmaa 12 588 62 967 20,0 11 713 60 591 19,3 10 673 57 629 18,5 9 837 54 663 18,0
Päijät-Häme 6 128 30 113 20,4 5 631 28 871 19,5 5 198 27 550 18,9 4 651 26 119 17,8
Kymenlaakso 6 095 25 047 24,3 5 689 24 318 23,4 5 419 23 305 23,3 4 930 22 488 21,9
South Karelia 3 358 19 065 17,6 2 881 18 504 15,6 2 686 17 839 15,1 2 438 17 220 14,2
South Savo 4 911 22 386 21,9 4 486 21 849 20,5 4 174 21 000 19,9 3 798 20 303 18,7
North Savo 8 532 33 273 25,6 7 859 32 195 24,4 7 345 30 978 23,7 7 102 29 760 23,9
North Karelia 5 245 22 917 22,9 4 722 22 182 21,3 4 355 21 265 20,5 4 012 20 196 19,9
Central Finland 7 166 34 291 20,9 6 471 32 983 19,6 6 050 31 393 19,3 5 447 30 001 18,2
South Ostrobothnia 5 941 26 529 22,4 5 511 25 679 21,5 5 171 24 672 21,0 4 867 23 680 20,6
Ostrobothnia 3 912 22 799 17,2 3 656 22 236 16,4 3 413 21 501 15,9 3 002 20 494 14,6
Central Ostrobothnia 2 309 8 755 26,4 2 131 8 347 25,5 2 046 7 889 25,9 1 859 7 512 24,7
North Ostrobothnia 11 172 43 135 25,9 10 273 41 450 24,8 9 500 39 665 24,0 8 825 37 684 23,4
Kainuu 2 318 10 649 21,8 2 148 10 382 20,7 2 059 10 063 20,5 2 041 9 787 20,9
Lapland 4 817 23 222 20,7 4 477 22 538 19,9 4 147 21 575 19,2 3 894 20 652 18,9
Eastern Uusimaa 2 303 11 852 19,4 2 083 11 270 18,5 1 907 10 687 17,8 1 724 10 009 17,2
Central Uusimaa 4 179 20 063 20,8 3 915 18 964 20,6 3 745 17 823 21,0 3 371 16 522 20,4
Western Uusimaa 8 477 46 162 18,4 7 772 43 809 17,7 7 219 41 151 17,5 6 466 38 302 16,9
Vantaa-Kerava 4 526 23 253 19,5 4 223 22 086 19,1 3 815 20 707 18,4 3 326 19 240 17,3
Helsinki 11 023 61 821 17,8 10 192 59 712 17,1 9 615 57 071 16,8 8 899 54 368 16,4
Åland Islands 501 3 818 13,1 484 3 653 13,2 431 3 458 12,5 375 3 284 11,4

Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly, taulukon 1 kuvausteksti

Table 1. The percentage of the population aged 75 and older (at least 75 years old at the end of the respective year) who have purchased 10 or more different medications during each year's four-month observation period (August to November), starting from 2020, for the entire country and by well-being regions. Source: Kela, Kanta services Prescription Center.

Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly, pylväskaavio

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Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly, Hospital Districts

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Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly in Finland and by Hospital District 2015-2019
Hospital districts Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2019 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2019 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2019 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2018 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2018 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2018 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2017 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2017 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2017 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2016 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2016 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2016 Sort the table ascending by the column Users 2015 Sort the table ascending by the column Population 2015 Sort the table ascending by the column Percentage % 2015 Sort the table ascending by the column
THE ENTIRE COUNTRY 74 282 561 292 13,2 69 753 549 051 12,7 66 105 585 608 11,3 64 302 535 795 12,0 59 738 515 333 11,6
Helsinki and Uusimaa 15 464 129 631 11,9 14 366 124 407 11,5 13 742 131 994 10,4 13 334 117 697 11,3 12 266 111 708 11,0
Varsinais-Suomi 6 864 52 263 13,1 6 225 51 055 12,2 5 948 54 523 10,9 5 843 50 057 11,7 5 384 48 287 11,2
Satakunta 3 357 27 837 12,1 3 222 27 471 11,7 3 005 29 422 10,2 2 949 27 255 10,8 2 715 26 451 10,3
Kanta-Häme 2 657 19 647 13,5 2 485 19 289 12,9 2 382 20 565 11,6 2 230 19 002 11,7 2 078 18 324 11,3
Pirkanmaa 7 135 54 876 13,0 6 717 53 565 12,5 6 081 57 111 10,7 5 936 52 213 11,4 5 546 50 376 11,0
Päijät-Häme 3 267 25 393 12,9 2 946 24 600 12,0 2 834 26 145 10,8 2 636 23 776 11,1 2 483 22 706 10,9
Kymenlaakso 3 257 21 584 15,1 2 944 21 243 13,9 2 710 22 748 11,9 2 693 20 971 12,8 2 506 20 298 12,3
South Karelia 1 532 16 829 9,1 1 550 16 691 9,3 1 459 17 828 8,2 1 398 16 522 8,5 1 395 15 952 8,7
South Savo 1 937 14 033 13,8 1 837 13 873 13,2 1 785 14 857 12,0 1 684 13 843 12,2 1 631 13 413 12,2
East Savo 759 6 342 12,0 714 6 246 11,4 682 6 696 10,2 657 6 231 10,5 643 6 139 10,5
North Karelia 2 744 19 754 13,9 2 638 19 635 13,4 2 475 21 081 11,7 2 469 19 543 12,6 2 392 18 929 12,6
North Savo 4 755 28 212 16,9 4 679 27 965 16,7 4 384 29 962 14,6 4 464 27 858 16,0 4 140 27 107 15,3
Central Finland 3 573 25 871 13,8 3 327 25 497 13,0 3 151 27 213 11,6 3 120 25 100 12,4 2 889 24 149 12,0
South Ostrobothnia 3 288 22 986 14,3 3 173 22 785 13,9 3 003 24 388 12,3 2 926 22 819 12,8 2 633 22 264 11,8
Vaasa 1 877 18 928 9,9 1 777 18 609 9,5 1 673 19 853 8,4 1 593 18 267 8,7 1 423 17 672 8,1
Central Ostrobothnia 1 436 8 408 17,1 1 275 8 224 15,5 1 263 8 811 14,3 1 171 8 120 14,4 1 118 7 796 14,3
North Ostrobothnia 6 066 35 718 17,0 5 820 35 182 16,5 5 596 37 385 15,0 5 359 34 088 15,7 4 950 32 401 15,3
Kainuu 1 356 9 500 14,3 1 264 9 440 13,4 1 194 10 123 11,8 1 186 9 446 12,6 1 082 9 151 11,8
Länsi-Pohja 917 7 173 12,8 850 7 209 11,8 833 7 735 10,8 844 7 166 11,8 794 6 947 11,4
Lapland 1 818 13 182 13,8 1 726 13 073 13,2 1 680 14 014 12,0 1 620 13 033 12,4 1 483 12 543 11,8
Åland Islands 222 3 125 7,1 205 2 992 6,9 206 3 154 6,5 173 2 788 6,2 176 2 720 6,5

Significant Polypharmacy in the Elderly, taulukon 2 kuvausteksti

Table 2. The percentage of the population aged 75 and older (at least 75 years old at the end of the respective year) who have purchased 10 or more different medications during each year's four-month observation period (August to November), for the years 2015-2019, for the entire country and by hospital districts. Source: Kela, Reimbursed Medication Supplies from Health Insurance.