The objectives of this UK study were to: (1) explore medication use among people with life limiting illness receiving hospice care; (2) apply consensus criteria to assess medication appropriateness; and (3) determine the overall pill burden in this patient population. Six UK hospices in the North- East of England took part. They found polypharmacy is common in patients accessing hospice care, as is the use of questionable medication. The pill burden was also high which may be an additional treatment burden to patients. They concluded holistic deprescribing approaches should be developed and implemented.
Scullion, L. et al. 2020. Medication use in the last year of life: a cross-sectional hospice study. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care.
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