Polypharmacy and medication regimen complexity in older patients with hemophilia or von willebrand disease: the M'HEMORRH-AGE study.

BACKGROUND

In older patients, multiple chronic conditions lead topolypharmacy which is associated with a higher risk of adverse drug events. Nowadays, the medication exposure of older patients with bleeding disorders has been poorly explored.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy and the medication regimen complexity in older community-dwelling patients with hemophilia or von Willebrand Disease (VWD).

METHOD: The M'HEMORRH-AGE study (Medication in AGEd patients with HEMORRHagic disease) is a multicenter prospective observational study. Community-dwelling patients over 65 years with hemophilia or VWD were included in the study. The rate of polypharmacy (use of 5 to 9 drugs daily) and excessive polypharmacy (use of 10 or more medications daily) was assessed. The complexity of prescribed medication regimens was assessed using the Medication Regimen Complexity Index (MRCI).

RESULTS

Overall, 142 older community-dwelling patients with hemophilia (n = 89) or VWD (n = 53) were included (mean age: 72.8 (5.8) years). Prevalence of polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy were 40.8% and 17.6%, respectively. The mean MRCI score was 16.9 (6.1). The mean MRCI score related to bleeding disorders medications was 6.9 (1.1). There was no significant difference between older hemophilia patients and VWD patients.

CONCLUSION

The M'HEMORRH-AGE study showed that more than half of older community-dwelling patients were affected by polypharmacy. In addition, the high medication regimen complexity in this older population suggests that interventions focusing on medication review and deprescribing should be conducted to reduce polypharmacy with its negative health-related outcomes.