Trends and expenditures in polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy among older adults in the United States, 2002–2017

Polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy remain highly prevalent among older adults in the U.S., with a significant growth in medication expenditures over time among those with hyperpolypharmacy. These findings highlight the critical need for ongoing monitoring and tailored prescribing optimization efforts targeting subgroups with the high prescribing burden to reduce the clinical and economic burdens of polypharmacy and hyperpolypharmacy in aging populations.