When Too Many Prescriptions Harm Seniors: The Rise of Polypharmacy

Modern medicine has extended life expectancy, but the growing practice of prescribing many drugs to seniors is creating a public-health problem. Data cited show roughly 1,000 daily hospital admissions in England stem from adverse drug reactions, with millions of people taking five or more prescriptions and millions more on ten or more. Age-related declines in kidney and liver function make older bodies more sensitive to medications, and treating each disease in isolation often leads to harmful interactions.

This can start a prescribing cascade, where side effects are medicated with new drugs, compounding the issue. The article urges comprehensive medication reviews by pharmacists and clinicians, emphasizing deprescribing when the risk outweighs benefit. It also calls on patients to discuss the purpose, necessity, dosage, and possible interactions of each drug with their healthcare providers.