Polypharmacy in Older Adults: How to Keep Your Loved Ones Safe

The risk of older adults' quality of life declining due to various illnesses and the side effects of medications for treating them is elevated in cases of "polypharmacy," or the use of multiple drugs by one person, reports MedShadow . "Some of the most common and serious effects of polypharmacy are sleepiness or dizziness, which can result in falls and fractures, and interactions between two or more medicines," warns Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Robert A. Murden. Research found nearly 50 percent of older men and women are taking at least one medication that is unnecessary for treating their condition, which can lead to negative consequences. Such individuals are more prone to the effects of polypharmacy, because they receive more medications for diseases that commonly affect people as they age. "The more medications you take, the greater the risk of a significant drug interaction that could cause harm to the individual," says University of Georgia College of Pharmacy Professor Christopher M. Bland. He adds that seniors often have reduced liver and kidney function compared to younger, healthier peers, "therefore a 'normal' dosage of a medication for a younger person may be too high for an older person, resulting in an adverse effect." Murden also stresses that seniors are "more likely to suffer the consequences of polypharmacy . . . and they are more likely to have the medical conditions, such as arthritis or memory problems that medication side effects can worsen."