Table 2.
HRs and 95% CIsa of Selected Outcomes After 30 Days Following AF Diagnosis, Comparing Polypharmacy Users With Non–Polypharmacy Users Among AF Patients Aged ≥75 Years, MarketScan, 2007–2015
| No Polypharmacy | Polypharmacy | |
|---|---|---|
| Patients, n | 162 803 | 176 007 |
| Stroke | ||
| Event, n (%) | 4582 (2.8) | 4860 (2.8) |
| Follow‐up, y, mean±SD | 2.0±1.8 | 2.1±1.8 |
| Incident rateb | 14.0 | 13.2 |
| HR (95% CI) | 1 | 0.96 (0.92, 1.00) |
| Major bleeding | ||
| Patients, n (%) | 7212 (4.4) | 9967 (5.7) |
| Follow‐up, y, mean±SD | 2.0±1.8 | 2.0±1.8 |
| Incident rateb | 22.3 | 27.8 |
| HR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.16 (1.12, 1.20) |
| Heart failure | ||
| Patients, n (%) | 8718 (5.4) | 14 851 (8.4) |
| Follow‐up, y, mean±SD | 2.0±1.8 | 2.0±1.8 |
| Incident rateb | 27.0 | 41.8 |
| HR (95% CI) | 1 | 1.33 (1.29, 1.36) |
Polypharmacy defined as ≥5 prescriptions at the time of AF diagnosis (polypharmacy definition 1). AF indicates atrial fibrillation; and HR, hazard ratio.
Models adjusted for age, sex, frailty index, comorbidities (congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, stroke, arthritis, myocardial infarction, peripheral artery disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, cerebral bleeding, other bleeding, anemia, coagulopathy, mood disorder, cognitive impairment, liver disease, alcohol abuse, asthma, cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic pulmonary disease, dementia, depression, diabetes mellitus, hepatitis, osteoporosis, schizophrenia, and substance abuse), and AF treatment (oral anticoagulation, antiarrhythmic drugs, catheter ablation, cardioversion, rate control therapy).
Per 1000 person‐years.