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Table 1 Breakdown of polypharmacy definitions according to the category of definition

From: What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of definitions

Term

Numerical only

Numerical in a given duration of time or setting

Descriptive

Total number of definitions

Polypharmacy

81

9

9

99

Minor Polypharmacy

8

0

0

8

Moderate polypharmacy

1

0

0

1

Major polypharmacy

11

1

0

12

Hyperpolypharmacy

1

1

0

2

Excessive polypharmacy

8

2

0

10

Severe polypharmacy

1

0

0

1

Persistent polypharmacy

0

1

0

1

Chronic polypharmacy

0

1

0

1

Appropriate polypharmacy

0

0

1

1

Rational polypharmacy and indiscriminate prescribing

0

0

1

1

Pseudopolypharmacy

0

0

1

1

Total number of definitions according to category of definition

111

15

12

138