Impact of COVID-19 on Anemia, Polypharmacy and Medication Use: A Retrospective Analysis of Pre- and Post-infection Health Outcomes

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection on anemia, polypharmacy, inappropriate medication use, and the prescription of antidepressants, antipsychotics, and analgesics.Specifically, it compared medication use and associated health outcomes before and after COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the national health registry system, including 354 patients who had COVID-19 between March 2020 and December 2022.Data on comorbidities, medication use, and hemoglobin levels were collected for six months before and after COVID-19 diagnosis.Results: The study revealed significant increases in anemia, polypharmacy, antidepressant use, antipsychotic use, and analgesic use post-COVID-19 infection (p