Most Older Adults Would Willingly Take Fewer Medicines

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests most older adults taking multiple prescription medications would be willing to reduce their daily regime to minimize their risk of side effects, reports Reuters . Ninety percent of people 65 and older are willing to stop taking one or more medications if recommended by their doctor, while 66 percent would like to cut back on the total number of medicines they take. About 50 percent of persons 65 and up take at least five medications, and drugs that are safe and effective by themselves can become dangerous in certain combinations and contribute to side effects like dizziness, cognitive impairment, falls, hospitalizations, and deaths. The study examined survey data of 1,981 Medicare beneficiaries. Most had two or more chronic medical conditions, and more than half were no older than 74. About 56 percent of participants took no more than five medications on a regular basis, but 40 percent took at least six drugs regularly. In comparison to those who took fewer than six drugs, those taking more were nearly three times more likely to be willing to stop taking one or more drugs. Meanwhile, people with more chronic medical problems were more likely to want to stop taking at least one drug than those with fewer health issues.