What is Polypharmacy?
Polypharmacy is the use of multiple drugs to treat a single condition or the simultaneous use of multiple drugs for one or more conditions. Often it includes more medication than is clinically indicated. Some drugs are simply prescribed to counteract the side effects of others.
Emergency Room Visits
Taking multiple medicines often leads to administration errors resulting in emergency room visits and sometimes death. Patients take the wrong amount, on the wrong day, or the wrong time of day.
Furthermore, drugs can interact poorly with specific foods and supplements.
Number of Prescriptions Increase with Age
The likelihood of additional prescriptions increases with advancing age. Adults aged 65 to 69 are prescribed an average of 15 scripts per year and people 80 to 84 years are prescribed an average of 18.
Additionally, each medical specialist (heart, diabetes, orthopedic) may focus on their area of expertise without looking at the bigger picture.
Tips for Medication Management
Fortunately, there are ways to be proactive with medication management. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind:
- Use one general internist or a family practitioner to coordinate polypharmacy or assist in reducing the number of medications to be taken.
- Keep an updated list of prescribed medications and over the counter (OTC) drugs to show the doctor and pharmacist at each visit.
- Stick with one pharmacy and don’t hesitate to ask questions at the pharmacy counter.
- Use pill organizers with the days of the week or the times of the day OR a pill bottle that has a built-in clock that unlocks when it’s time for the dose.
- Use technology for medication reminders. Implement a smart phone, tablet or voice assistant for reminders.
- Use natural remedies for pain as much as possible.
Please SHARE these tips to prevent medication error accidents. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe from adverse drug events!
What are your thoughts? Please use the comment box below…
Do you think drugs are over prescribed?
Do you think older adults are targeted by the pharmaceutical companies?
How do you keep track of medications?
Love your modalities recommendations, Angela. Right on!!!! We need others to help at times, but in the end, the choice is ours to make.
Joan, good point. We have to take responsibility for our own lifestyle decisions throughout our lives!
As an LPN, who also worked administratively in medical malpractice law, I know medications are offered to patients way too freely. Obviously there are disease processes that absolutely must be treated medicinally. Sometimes it takes time to find out which medication is best for your particular illness, so you must let your practitioner know if you are experiencing side effects, and be honest about your social choices. Don’t just assume you need to take the same brand that works for a family member. Every body is unique. But the sad truth is way too often adults are prescribed medications because of their lack of coping skills, and not a true need. It’s a huge destructive pattern costing us dearly. Besides the pain pill epidemic, there are way too many adults seeking stimulants, such as Adderall. It’s a totally different story if a parent consents for a child who has no choice in the matter, or if an adult patient truly takes the prescription correctly. But so often adults want a quick fix with a new script, or continue years of stimulant use, and hide the fact around others while they are adding alcohol. I find that mind-boggling how many drink and medicate together. To that end, physicians can only be held responsible to a degree. At some point people need to accept the challenge when their medication is not helping their personal situations, or they are unable to cope with Life, or are not taking their medication correctly. Side effects ultimately impact the organs in the body and definitely ages a person much more quickly. Domestic violence rises when prescriptions are taken incorrectly or along with alcohol, hidden hostility becomes directed toward loved ones. Other people can be hurt, blackouts become excuses, and accidents can happen. And those taking abusing their meds like this are not holding themselves accountable for their choice and actions. It’s also scary to consider how future generations of offspring could be affected by medicines the parents so easily take without question, possibly altering a child’s future health – that is a huge unknown. Again, I fully agree some disease processes absolutely require treatment. And shame on doctors who keep prescribing, to more quickly move patients who use office visit times to vent or get validation in the wrong place. If a patient voices continued complaints, then prescribe therapies to address the mental and emotional patterns they are not changing. Not just with another pill. Require other modalities before further dosing. I’m not a doctor, but I know habitually eating properly can be medicinal in itself. Exercise and stretching your body does help relieve stress. If the body feels healthier, you will sleep better. And when you sleep better, you feel more relaxed during the day. Feeling relaxed fuels the clarity to make interact positively with others. When clarity happens, you will see the toxic areas and attitudes that tried to darken your Life much more clearly. And you will actively choose to let it go. You begin to avoid that negativity, because you value yourself and choose being happy. We are all a work in progress, each responsible for the outcome of every choice we make. Those we choose to continue, and those we walk away from. Time will pass no matter how you spend it. Spend it well. I honestly believe keeping one’s body, mind & spirit in balance is the key! So no matter how you choose to get there, just choose to do the work.