What is "polypharmacy"?

Reviewed by Yoshinori Abe, MD

Internal Medicine

Polypharmacy is when someone takes many different medicines at the same time, which can sometimes lead to problems. See below to understand more.

Important Next Steps

Learn if polypharmacy could affect you Discover likely risks from taking many medicines Find out when multiple drugs need care See OTC options for medication side effects Find a doctor for medication management Discover safe home remedies for drug side effects Understand if your medicines need review

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Explanation

Polypharmacy happens when a person uses multiple medications simultaneously. This is common in older adults who might have several health issues. Taking many medicines can be necessary, but it also increases the chance of side effects and interactions between drugs.

Why It Happens

Chronic Conditions: People with several health problems might need different medicines for each condition.
Multiple Doctors: Seeing different doctors for various conditions can lead to more prescriptions.

Possible Problems

Side Effects: More medicines can mean more side effects.
Drug Interactions: Some medicines can change how other medicines work, which can be dangerous.

Managing Polypharmacy

Regular Review: Doctors should regularly check all medications to ensure they are still needed.
Deprescribing: This means stopping medicines that are not necessary anymore.

Polypharmacy requires careful management to ensure that the benefits of taking multiple medications outweigh the risks. If you're experiencing concerning symptoms or side effects from your medications, consider using Ubie's free AI symptom checker to help identify potential issues before your next doctor's appointment. It's important for patients and doctors to communicate openly about all the medicines being taken.

(References)

Halli-Tierney AD, Scarbrough C, & Carroll D. (2019). Polypharmacy: Evaluating Risks and Deprescribing. American family physician, 31259501.
Masnoon N, Shakib S, Kalisch-Ellett L, & Caughey GE. (2017). What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of definitions. BMC geriatrics, 29017448.
Guillot J, Maumus-Robert S, & Bezin J. (2020). Polypharmacy: A general review of definitions, descriptions .... Therapie, 31732240.

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