Table 3 Numerical definitions of polypharmacy and associated terms by duration of therapy/ healthcare setting
From: What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of definitions
Term | Number of medications | Number of studies | References |
|---|---|---|---|
Polypharmacy | ≥ 2 for > 240 days (long term) | 1 | [101] |
|  | ≥ 5 medications in the same month | 1 | [103] |
|  | > 5 medications for ≥ 90 days | 1 | [104] |
|  | ≥ 5 medications in the same quarter of a year | 1 | [105] |
|  | ≥ 5 medicines at hospital discharge | 1 | [106] |
| Â | 5 to 9 medicines on the day of maximum number of prescriptions of the study year (on the day of the study year when the number of medications prescribed was highest) | 1 | [107] |
|  | 5 to 9 medications for ≥ 90 days | 1 | [108] |
| Â | 5 to 9 medicines during hospital stay | 1 | [109] |
|  | ≥ 10 medicines during hospital stay | 1 | [110] |
Major polypharmacy | ≥ 10 on the day of maximum number of prescriptions of the study year (on the day of the study year when the number of medications prescribed was highest) | 1 | [107] |
Hyperpolypharmacy | ≥ 10 medications for ≥90 days | 1 | [108] |
Excessive polypharmacy | ≥ 10 medications in the same quarter of a year | 1 | [105] |
|  | ≥ 10 medications during hospital stay | 1 | [109] |
Persistent polypharmacy | ≥ 5 medications for 181 days | 1 | [52] |
Chronic polypharmacy | ≥ 5 medications in 1 month for 6 months (consecutive or not) in a year | 1 | [111] |