Optimizing polypharmacy management in the elderly: a comprehensive European benchmarking survey and the development of an innovative online benchmarking application.

Polypharmacy, defined as the simultaneous use of multiple medications by a patient, is a worldwide problem of rising prevalence. Paving the way for drug interactions, adverse drug reactions and non-adherence, it leads to negative health outcomes, increased use of healthcare services and rising costs. Since it is closely related to multimorbidity, it peaks in older adults.

The prevalence of symptoms and its correlation with sex in polish COVID-19 adult patients: Cross-sectional online open survey.

Background: The understanding and treatment of COVID-19 has improved rapidly since December 2019 when SARS-CoV-2 was sequenced. However most papers on its symptomatology focus on hospitalized patients and address only a limited number of major presentations. Although differences depending on sex of COVID-19 patients have been previously confirmed (higher ICU admission and higher death rate for men), no publication has focused on sex-related differences in COVID-19 symptomatology.

Reimbursed medication adherence enhancing interventions in 12 european countries: Current state of the art and future challenges.

Medication non-adherence jeopardises the effectiveness of chronic therapies and negatively affects financial sustainability of healthcare systems. Available medication adherence-enhancing interventions (MAEIs) are utilised infrequently, and even more rarely reimbursed. The aim of this paper was to review reimbursed MAEIs across selected European countries.

The Potential to Reduce Patient Co-Payment and the Public Payer Spending in Poland through an Optimised Implementation of the Generic Substitution: The Win-Win Scenario Suggested by the Real-World Big Data Analysis.

High medication costs are one of the major barriers to patient adherence. Medication affordability might be improved by generic substitution. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of generic substitution mechanisms in Poland.

Lesson learned from an international training program on patients medication adherence for healthcare professionals.

Objective. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role for promoting medication adherence in older adults. This research aimed to assess changes in professionals' opinions about medication adherence after attending a course, collecting suggestions for future educational programs.

E-cigarette use and its predictors: Results from an online cross-sectional survey in Poland.

Introduction: Since the invention of electronic cigarettes (ECs) in 2003, their use has spread worldwide; however, little is known about the profiles of EC users. Understanding the motivators for using ECs enables more accurate prediction of their use and more effective direction of pro-health activities. Our objective was to identify the factors that may influence the decision to use ECs and their possible adverse effects according to the experiences of EC users.

Primary nonadherence to medication and its drivers in Poland: findings from the electronic prescription pilot analysis.

Introduction: Primary nonadherence to medication occurs when a patient does not fill a prescription and often leads to suboptimal patient outcomes, lost productivity, and increased net costs. Pilot introduction of electronic prescriptions (e‑prescriptions) in Poland took place in 2018, enabling nationwide assessment of primary nonadherence.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and drivers of primary nonadherence in Poland.

A case study of polypharmacy management in nine European countries: Implications for change management and implementation.

Background: Multimorbidity and its associated polypharmacy contribute to an increase in adverse drug events, hospitalizations, and healthcare spending. This study aimed to address: what exists regarding polypharmacy management in the European Union (EU); why programs were, or were not, developed; and, how identified initiatives were developed, implemented, and sustained.

Methods: Change management principles (Kotter) and normalization process theory (NPT) informed data collection and analysis.

A modified Delphi study to determine the level of consensus across the European Union on the structures, processes and desired outcomes of the management of polypharmacy in older people.

Background: Inappropriate use of multiple medicines (inappropriate polypharmacy) is a major challenge in older people with consequences of increased prevalence and severity of adverse drug reactions and interactions, and reduced medicines adherence. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of consensus amongst key stakeholders in the European Union (EU) in relation to aspects of the management of polypharmacy in older people.

Methods: Forty-six statements were developed on aspects of healthcare structures, processes and desired outcomes, with consensus defined at ≥ 80% agreement.

Guidance to manage inappropriate polypharmacy in older people: systematic review and future developments.

Single disease state led evidence-based guidelines do not provide sufficient coverage of issues of multimorbidities, with the cumulative impact of recommendations often resulting in overwhelming medicines burden. Inappropriate polypharmacy increases the likelihood of adverse drug events, drug interactions and non-adherence. Areas covered: A detailed description of a pan-European initiative, 'Stimulating Innovation Management of Polypharmacy and Adherence in the Elderly, SIMPATHY', which is a project funded by the European Commission to support innovation across the European Union.

Adherence to treatment in asthma and COPD patients in their doctors' assessment.

Introduction: Adherence to therapy is one of the basic preconditions of successful treatment of asthma and COPD. Unfortunately, many patients take their medication incorrectly. The aim of this study was to assess doctors' knowledge of this phenomenon, including interventions able to improve patient adherence.

Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Improvement of Medication Adherence.

Background: Poor adherence to medications is a significant problem that leads to increased morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Recommended approaches to address medication adherence vary, and existing practice guidelines are unclear.

Purpose: This review evaluated clinical practice guidelines designed to help health care providers address patients' medication adherence.

Factors affecting the opinions of family physicians regarding generic drugs--a questionnaire based study.

A range of factors are believed to exert a negative influence on opinions of physicians about generic drugs.The aim of this study was to survey the opinions of primary care doctors on generics, and determine the factors which may affect them. A questionnaire comprising thirty eight questions was distributed among primary care doctors working in seventy out-patient clinics of the Lodzkie province, Poland, during the period of January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2010.

Determinants of patient adherence: a review of systematic reviews.

Purpose: A number of potential determinants of medication non-adherence have been described so far. However, the heterogenic quality of existing publications poses the need for the use of a rigorous methodology in building a list of such determinants. The purpose of this study was a systematic review of current research on determinants of patient adherence on the basis of a recently agreed European consensus taxonomy and terminology.

Identification and assessment of adherence-enhancing interventions in studies assessing medication adherence through electronically compiled drug dosing histories: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Background: Non-adherence to medications is prevalent across all medical conditions that include ambulatory pharmacotherapy and is thus a major barrier to achieving the benefits of otherwise effective medicines.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to identify and to compare the efficacy of strategies and components thereof that improve implementation of the prescribed drug dosing regimen and maintain long-term persistence, based on quantitative evaluation of effect sizes across the aggregated trials.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials that tested the efficacy of adherence-enhancing strategies with self-administered medications.

An acupuncture needle remaining in a lung for 17 years: case study and review.

The case of a 67-year-old patient with an acupuncture needle remaining in his left lung is described. This foreign body was a remnant of a procedure performed by a doctor 17 years previously for osteoarthritic back pain. On the basis of this case, a review was performed of literature available in the PubMed database dealing with acupuncture needles remaining in a patient's body.

A new taxonomy for describing and defining adherence to medications.

Interest in patient adherence has increased in recent years, with a growing literature that shows the pervasiveness of poor adherence to appropriately prescribed medications. However, four decades of adherence research has not resulted in uniformity in the terminology used to describe deviations from prescribed therapies. The aim of this review was to propose a new taxonomy, in which adherence to medications is conceptualized, based on behavioural and pharmacological science, and which will support quantifiable parameters.