Polypharmacy Among People Living with Dementia - Israel and 24 Countries in European Union, 2015-2019.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: With a growing number of people living with dementia (PLWD), the practice of taking multiple medications to manage symptoms or comorbidities, i.e., polypharmacy, among PLWD has become a global health challenge. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: In 2015-2019, polypharmacy for PLWD varied substantially among 25 studied countries, with approximately 1 in 5 Estonian PLWD and 4 in 5 Cypriot PLWD having polypharmacy. In addition, Switzerland, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic have experienced a significantly increasing trend in polypharmacy for PLWD. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE?: Countries should pay special attention to polypharmacy and make efforts to control polypharmacy among PLWD, especially in countries where the trend of polypharmacy among PLWD has been increasing.