Polypharmacy in the terminal stage of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity5 @entity148 @entity158 @entity204
PURPOSE: This study aims to determine the numbers of @entity1 with @entity5 receiving polypharmacy at the end of their lives and analyze differences in drug prescription at a general oncology ward and a dedicated palliative care ward. METHODS: A retrospective single-center cohort study at a university hospital with a large @entity5 center was conducted. The charts of 100 @entity1 who had died because of @entity5 were reviewed; data concerning sociodemographic variables and medications were collected at four predefined time points (9, 6, 3, 0  days before @entity204 ). RESULTS: Nine days before @entity204 , polypharmacy was registered in 95  % of @entity1 ; they had prescriptions for 11 (9-13) different medications per day (median, IQR). Although this number dropped significantly, on the last day as many as 61  % of the @entity1 were still taking more than 4 drugs (median 6.5, IQR 4-9). No significant difference was noted between the oncology ward and the palliative care ward. Polypharmacy was largely dependent on the @entity1 ' ECOG performance status as well as the type of ward, the number of days before @entity204 , and age. It was not influenced by gender, the duration of hospital stays, and the devices facilitating drug administration. The medications fulfilled the requirements of palliative care in the majority of @entity1 ; 90  % received treatment for @entity158 and @entity148 . @entity1 treated at the palliative ward received more opioids and psychoactive drugs while those at the oncology ward received more anti- @entity5 drugs and fluids. CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy still is a problem in the large majority of @entity1 with @entity5 . Further studies should be focused on the @entity1 ' quality of life, drug interactions, and adverse events.
