Table 2.

Comparison of demographic variables and medication regimen complexity between young-old (60–74 years) and old-old (75–89 years) patients with heart failure

Medication variable	Young-old (n=80)	Old-old (n=65)	P-value
Demographics
Age, years	67±4	80±4	<0.001
Men	46 (57.5%)	47 (72.3%)	0.06
Caucasian	64 (80%)	53 (81.5%)	0.82
Hispanic	5 (6.3%)	2 (3.1%)	0.46
Heart failure etiology
NISCM	39 (48.8%)	21 (32.3%)	0.05
ISCM	41 (51.3%)	44 (67.7%)
NYHA functional class
I	13 (16.3%)	11 (16.9%)	0.96
II	22 (27.5%)	18 (27.7%)
III	21 (26.3%)	19 (29.2%)
IV	24 (30%)	17 (26.2%)
Total medication count	13.2±4.8	13.5±4.8	0.68
Heart failure prescription count	3.2±1.2	3.2±1.4	0.85
Percentage of total medication count	24%	23%
Other prescription count	6.7±3.7	6.6±3.5	0.69
Percentage of total medication count	51%	49%
OTC medication count	3.3±2.1	3.8±2.7	0.13
Percentage of total medication count	25%	28%
Total pMRCI score	31.7±14.3	32.7±14.7	0.66
Heart failure prescription pMRCI score	7.5±3.3	6.9±3.5	0.37
Percentage of total pMRCI score	24%	21%
Other prescription pMRCI score	18±12	18±11.9	0.96
Percentage of total pMRCI score	57%	55%
OTC medication pMRCI score	6.2±4	7.8±5.8	0.04
Percentage of total pMRCI score	19%	24%
Medication categories
On 0–10 total medications	23 (28.8%)	18 (27.7%)	0.97
On 11–15 total medications	35 (43.8%)	28 (43.1%)
On ≥16 total medications	22 (27.5%)	19 (29.2%)

Notes: Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation or n (%). Medication counts and pMRCI scores were compared between groups using generalized linear model analysis, with heart failure etiology (ISCM vs NISCM), NYHA functional class, and sex as covariates.

Abbreviations: ISCM, ischemic cardiomyopathy; NISCM, nonischemic cardiomyopathy; NYHA, New York Heart Association; OTC, over-the-counter; pMRCI, patient-level Medication Regimen Complexity Index.