Current Topic
May 2012
Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy has been a persistent issue in caring for older persons. The use of excess numbers of medications is burdensome in many ways to older patients, increasing the risk for adverse drug reactions, inappropriate medication use, and health care costs. Defining polypharmacy, developing ways to identify it in clinical and research settings, intervening to reduce it, and understanding the consequences of polypharmacy all continue to be controversial areas for discussion among health care providers who are focused on improving the quality of care for older persons.
2012 - Volume 28
