Polypharmacy Consultations
Polypharmacy Consultations
Clinic Hours
Monday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tuesday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Wednesday
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Thursday
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
What is Polypharmacy?
Polypharmacy, which literally means “many medicines”, refers to an individual’s practice of taking multiple medications, ranging from two to 11 medicines every day. It has been associated with older adults, as well as people with multiple chronic health conditions and disability. Cases of polypharmacy have shown to increase nursing home deployment, troubles with ambulation, admissions to the hospital, and mortality. Older Americans are particularly vulnerable to over-medication. Today, 42% of adults over the age of 65 take FIVE OR MORE medications.
While taking multiple medicines can provide several benefits in treating and preventing health problems, some polypharmacy cases may be inappropriate. That said, pharmacists should determine whether the medicines prescribed are still necessary or are no longer needed.
When a person takes a variety of medicines at once, drug interactions often occur. These could either increase or decrease the effectiveness of one drug. In addition to this, there are times when new medications are introduced to the patient to offset the troublesome effect of drug interactions.
Some contributing factors of polypharmacy include:
- Having multiple doctors with different specialties who prescribe similar medications
- Use of various pharmacies
- The fact the older adults have multiple conditions that require medications
- Inappropriate medication reconciliation upon discharge from the hospital is also considered a risk factor for polypharmacy.
Our Roles in Tackling Polypharmacy
Complex prescription regimens put a lot of pressure on patients and could be ineffective if not followed exactly based on the doctor’s instructions. Involving pharmacists in the decision-making process of all medicine-related conversations can positively impact patient safety.
Generally considered as drug experts, pharmacists are in the best position to monitor and intervene with patients who are taking multiple medications. They are equipped with the right knowledge to interpret the relevance of each drug to every individual.
Typically, interventions of pharmacists can be done by sending automated drug alerts, screening of patients in a hospital, outpatient clinic, or nursing homes, and doing pharmacist outreach in various applicable settings.
Pharmacists are prepared to help patients address polypharmacy through different strategies. This may include counseling, motivational interviewing, and daily treatment support. Upon knowing what medications a specific patient is taking, pharmacists can optimize the drug regimen and prevent inappropriate medications from being prescribed.
How We Can Help
Patients with poor adherence to their prescribed medications may suffer consequences such as potential disease progression, treatment failure, unnecessary hospitalizations, and higher risk of death. By simplifying drug regimens, individuals can keep track of several different medications and make adherence easier.
Dr. Andrei Dokukin’s team of medical professionals at Proprius Recovery can improve the quality of your life by reviewing your medications and assessing their effectiveness. Book a consultation with us to know if your medicines are still right for your current situation.
