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Polypharmacy is the use of multiple medications (5 or more) to treat a patient.
It is not only unpleasant but also extremely problematic. This is a common occurrence amongst the elderly.
CATEGORIES
- Excessive polypharmacy; i.e concurrent use of 10 or more medications.
- Polypharmacy; i.e use of 5 to 9 medications.
- No polypharmacy; i.e use of 4 or less medications.
ISSUES OF CONCERN
- Adverse effects due to metabolic changes and reduced drug clearance that comes with age.
- Drug interaction such as acute kidney injury, hypotension and delirium.
- Inappropriate therapy or non-adherence.
- Prescribing cascades. Etc.
ASSOCIATED FACTORS
Individual/patient
- Increasing age.
- Poor self reported health.
- Multiple chronic conditions.
- Self medication.
Physician
- Lack of education/competence.
- High patient workload.
- Poor physician-patient communication.
- Multiple prescribers
System-level
- Different electronic medical record system.
- Poor physician-physician communication.
MANAGEMENT
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