%0 Journal Article %T Frequency of Polypharmacy in Advanced Cancer Patients Consulted with the Palliative Service of Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran), Iran, 2017 %J Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention %I West Asia Organization for Cancer Prevention (WAOCP), APOCP's West Asia Chapter. %Z 1513-7368 %A Khaledi, Amin Reza %A Kazemi, Maryam %A Tahmasebi, Mamak %D 2019 %\ 01/01/2019 %V 20 %N 1 %P 131-134 %! Frequency of Polypharmacy in Advanced Cancer Patients Consulted with the Palliative Service of Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran), Iran, 2017 %K advanced cancer %K comorbidity %K palliative care %K Polypharmacy %K Quality of Life %R 10.31557/APJCP.2019.20.1.131 %X Background: Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of more than four or five medications by an individual.The prevalence of this condition has increased due to the ageing population and the related illnesses. Use of multiplemedications would increase the risk of side-effects, drug interactions, and medical costs. The present study aimed todetermine the frequency of polypharmacy in the advanced cancer patients. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 92patients with advanced cancer were selected through convenience sampling from the inpatients and outpatients whoreferred to the Palliative Care Unit of Imam Khomeini Hospital (Tehran) in 2017. An examining physician completed aresearcher-made checklist for all the subjects based on the patients’ biography and medical records. Statistical analysiswas performed by using SPSS software (version 19.0) through descriptive and analytical tests at the significance levelof pin 81.5% of the patients (n=75), the most prevalent of which were psychiatric disorders. Eighty-eight percent of thepatients (n=81) were on at least 5 or more medications. Opioids and antacids were the most common medications usedby these patients. Conclusion: The frequency of polypharmacy and average number of consumed medications werehigh in patients with advanced cancer. Studying the effectiveness of these medications can highly help the physiciansstop or continue prescribing such medications, and guide the focus of attention towards the drugs that can improve thepatients’ quality of life in the final days. %U https://journal.waocp.org/article_81092_1376f209b02b1b935780574c7051e6a4.pdf