There was an association between the use of drugs with anticholinergic properties and the probability of hip fracture in elderly patients and it was possible to establish the level of risk.

People who are taking opioids and benzodiazepines have increased risk for hip fracture in Colombia. Strategies to educate physicians regarding the pharmacology of older adults should be strengthened.

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Summary Aims To determine the frequency of excessive polypharmacy (≥15 medications) in an outpatient population from Colombia and the variables associated with this condition. Methods A cross‐sectional study using a systematised database of 6.2 million affiliates of the Colombian Health System. All patients treated uninterruptedly with 15 or more medications for 3 months (January‐March 2017) were included. Sociodemographic, pharmacological, potential drug interactions, and prescribers' variables were identified. Results A total of 264 patients with prescriptions of ≥15 medications were identified; with an estimated prevalence of excessive polypharmacy of 108.4 per 100 000 people. The mean age was 67.7 ± 17.8 years and 60.6% were females. The mean number of medications per patient was 20.1 ± 4.5 and 48.9% (n = 129) had 20 or more. The most used were antiulcer medications (89.0%; n = 235), antihypertensives (85.6%; n = 226), analgesic/antipyretic (80.3%; n = 212), psychiatric/neurologic medications (78.5%; n = 207), statins (67.4%; n = 178), acetylsalicylic acid (59.5%; n = 157), and vitamins (57.2%; n = 151). On average, each patient had 21.0 ± 11.4 drug‐drug interactions and were attended by 6.2 ± 3.1 physicians. Being treated by seven or more physicians (OR: 5.09; 95% CI: 1.64‐15.79) increased the probability of receiving more than 20 medications. Conclusions Drugs for treatment of chronic conditions prevailed, especially in elderly patients with multiple chronic conditions; however, some groups of medications without clear indications, such as antiulcer medications or vitamin supplements, also had extensive use. A main factor that increases the probability of polypharmacy greater than 20 drugs is care by seven or more physicians, which shows a fragmentation in patient care by the country's health system, without achieving co‐ordination and integration between the different agents involved in medical care, also influenced by different physicians′ practice patterns.

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