You can have too much of a good thing, especially when it comes to medications. Polypharmacy (i.e., the regular use of five or more medications) is a growing medical burden in the geriatric population. Polypharmacy is associated with poor adherence; increased risk of drug interactions and adverse drug events; falls; ED visits and hospitalization; poor quality of life; and high costs. One simple strategy to prevent negative consequences of polypharmacy of older adults is deprescribing: the systematic process of reducing or discontinuing a medication.
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