What is polypharmacy?

Polypharmacy is defined as the use of five or more medications to treat a patient for multiple medical conditions. As chronic illnesses accumulate with age, polypharmacy is commonly seen in elderly patients. Drug therapy is often given to them to maintain and prevent further state of diseases. However, excessive use of medications may result in adverse drug interactions.

What are the adverse consequences of polypharmacy?

• Medical errors such as duplicated prescription may occur as the patient obtains the same medication from multiple clinics and physicians.
• Poor compliance are likely to happen due to lack of understanding, simple forgetfulness, large amount of drugs needed to be taken, unsuitable packing and labelling, unpleasant taste, and high cost of the medications. 
• Disrupted daily routines and social activities may occur especially when the medications have to be taken at a specific time of the day.   
• Adverse drug reactions may occur. Some adverse reactions may occur with one (primary drug reactions) or more (secondary drug interactions) medications.
• Drug-drug interaction occurs when a drug's effect may not work as well as when taken with other medications.
• Drug-disease interaction is an event in which a medication which is for therapeutic use has the potential to make a pre-existing disease worse. For example, beta-blockers, commonly given for heart failure and hypertension,  must be given with caution to those with asthma as the blocking action on beta receptors, which is therapeutic for hypertension, may cause constriction of the airways.

What to do when one is taking many medications?

Source: JAMA Network

REMEMBER! Discipline yourself to take all medications as prescribed. The medications are invaluable for improving the quality of life of patients.

References:

1. Polypharmacy nation: Tips for managing multiple medications | Healthy Balance

Image credit:

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Written by

Dr Amirah Ekhsan