Polypharmacy in Elderly People: A Simple Review

With increasing age, there is chance of developing different chronic conditions which are often accompanied by use multiple medicines that can lead to polypharmacy be defined as five or more medicine include the one has been prescribed, over counter (OTC) well complementary medicine. Geriatric people particularly those with co-morbid health conditions, may develop high risk Adverse Drug Events (ADE) and Interaction (DI). Presence co-morbidities makes them highest consumer pharmaceutical drugs, so a degree caution required while prescribing drug elderly population. Concept Deprescribing several tools like Medication Appropriateness Index, ARMOR (Assess, Review, Minimize, Optimize, Reassess), START/STOPP (Screening tool for older persons potentially inappropriate prescription/ Screening alert doctors right treatment) etc have emerged practical guides solve problems related these should considered prescriber