Medication review by GPs reduces polypharmacy in the elderly: A quality use of medicines program

This paper describes a Quality Use of Medicines program, addressing polypharmacy in the elderly through a quality assurance program that assisted GPs to improve their prescribing through medication reviews. Sixty-two GPs from four Divisions of General Practice each enrolled up to 12 of their patients aged over 65 for medication review. Data about the total number of medications, and number and dosage of selected cardiovascular and psychotropic medications taken by these patients, were collected. A statistically significant reduction in the total number of medications (p < 0.00005), and the dose (p = 0.028) and number (p = 0.0077) of benzodiazepines, and an increase in the number of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants (p = 0.0075) were observed. We conclude that these results suggest that medication review by GPs on patients who have complex care needs can be associated with a reduction in the median number of medications that these patients take.