Bibliometric analysis of polypharmacy in elderly patients with chronic comorbidities from 2013 to 2023

BACKGROUND: In the context of global aging, the proportion of elderly patients with chronic diseases is steadily increasing. Polypharmacy has become a major threat to the health of older individuals by increasing the risk of drug interactions and adverse drug reactions (ADRs), escalating healthcare costs, significantly increasing the risk of treatment-related ADRs, decreasing the quality of life, reducing healthy life expectancy, and increasing hospitalization rates and all-cause mortality. This study aimed to explore development trends, current research status, and key research hotspots in this field. This analysis provides healthcare professionals with valuable insights into the current research landscape and high-quality literature on polypharmacy in elderly patients with chronic comorbidities. METHODS: This study analyzed international research trends and hotspots in polypharmacy for elderly patients with chronic comorbidities from 2013 to 2023. We searched the Web of Science Core Collection for English-language articles and reviews published in this period. RESULTS: In total, 3141 publications were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-Studio. Findings revealed a rapid increase in publications, with the United States of America (USA) leading in both publications and citations. The University of California System was the top institution, and BMC Geriatr was the leading journal. Key research topics included the inappropriate use of polypharmacy, its relationship with frailty, health outcomes, and risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Burst keyword analysis identifies research hotspots, including comprehensive geriatric assessment, social support, primary health care, clinical decision-making, and patient experiences and perceptions. Future research will likely focus on comprehensive geriatric assessment, primary health care, clinical decision-making, and patient experiences.