ArticleDrugs & aging2021
A 12-Year Retrospective Study of the Prevalence of Anticholinergic Polypharmacy and Associated Outcomes Among Medicare Patients with Overactive Bladder in the USA.
Article in Drugs & aging, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.
- Outcomes following intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injections and sacral neuromodulation in older men.BJUI compass · 2026Article
- Article
- Health outcomes and costs in patients prescribed anticholinergic medications for overactive bladder.Journal of comparative effectiveness research · 2026Article
- Assessment of Codispensing Patterns of Mirabegron and Prespecified CYP2D6 Substrates in Patients with Overactive Bladder.Drugs - real world outcomes · 2023Article
- CYP2D6 Substrate Dispensing Among Patients Dispensed Mirabegron: An Administrative Claims Analysis.Drugs - real world outcomes · 2023Article
- Deprescribing anticholinergics in primary care older adults: Experience from two models and impact on a continuous measure of exposure.Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy : JACCP · 2022Article
- Insights from the AQUA Registry: a retrospective study of anticholinergic polypharmacy in the United States.Therapeutic advances in urologyArticle
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectiveAntimuscarinics, drugs with anticholinergic properties, are frequently prescribed for overactive bladder, and anticholinergic burden is associated with adverse events. The "Polypharmacy: Use of Multiple Anticholinergic Medications in Older Adults" (Poly-ACH) measure was developed by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance and is used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Using the Poly-ACH measure, we assessed the prevalence of anticholinergic polypharmacy among Medicare patients in the USA with overactive bladder and determined associations between polypharmacy and medical conditions, care, and spending.
methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with overactive bladder (coverage period: 2006-2017). Anticholinergic polypharmacy, measured by the Poly-ACH, was defined as concurrent use of two or more anticholinergics, each with two or more prescription claims on different dates of service for ≥ 30 cumulative days. Change in annual frequency of anticholinergic polypharmacy was assessed using logistic regression. Associations between anticholinergic polypharmacy over 3 years and falls, fractures, mental status, and medical care spending were assessed with longitudinal regression models.
resultsIn total, 226,712 patients contributed 940,201 person-years of follow-up after overactive bladder diagnosis. The share of patients meeting the Poly-ACH definition was 3.3% in 2006 and 1.7% in 2017. Women and nursing home residents had higher risks of anticholinergic polypharmacy. Having 1 year or more of positive Poly-ACH status in the 3 years prior was associated with higher rates of all outcomes.
conclusionsAnticholinergic polypharmacy was uncommon among older adults with overactive bladder. Prevalence was higher among women and nursing home residents, and it was associated with negative outcomes, highlighting potential longitudinal implications of anticholinergic burden.
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