Trends in comorbidity, disability, and polypharmacy in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity712
BACKGROUND: Comorbidity, disability, and polypharmacy commonly complicate the care of @entity1 with @entity712 . These factors can change biological response to therapy, reduce @entity1 ability to adhere to recommendations, and alter @entity1 preference for treatment and outcome. Yet, a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of @entity1 with @entity712 is lacking. Our objective was to assess trends in demographics, comorbidity, physical function, and medication use in a nationally representative, community-based @entity712 population. METHODS: Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we analyzed trends across 3 survey periods (1988-1994, 1999-2002, 2003-2008). RESULTS: We identified 1395 @entity1 with self-reported @entity712 (n=581 in 1988-1994, n=280 in 1999-2002, n=534 in 2003-2008). The proportion of @entity1 with @entity712 who were >= 80 years old increased from 13.3% in 1988-1994 to 22.4% in 2003-2008 (P <.01). The proportion of @entity1 with @entity712 who had 5 or more comorbid chronic conditions increased from 42.1% to 58.0% (P <.01). The mean number of prescription medications increased from 4.1 to 6.4 prescriptions (P <.01). The prevalence of disability did not increase but was substantial across all years. CONCLUSION: The phenotype of @entity1 with @entity712 changed substantially over the last 2 decades. Most notably, more recent @entity1 have a higher percentage of very old individuals, and the number of comorbidities and medications increased markedly. Functional disability is prevalent, although it has not changed. These changes suggest a need for new research and practice strategies that accommodate the increasing complexity of this population.
