Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals

Life expectancy has risen dramatically in accordance with human society's progress and our access to new treatments and therapies. As a result, the old population has grown significantly. "Polypharmacy" is defined as taking five or more medications regularly, and "Hyper-polypharm...

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Main Author: Shadi Sarahroodi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: German Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials 2022-04-01
Series:German Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.gjpb.de/index.php/gjpb/article/view/24
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author Shadi Sarahroodi
author_facet Shadi Sarahroodi
author_sort Shadi Sarahroodi
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description Life expectancy has risen dramatically in accordance with human society's progress and our access to new treatments and therapies. As a result, the old population has grown significantly. "Polypharmacy" is defined as taking five or more medications regularly, and "Hyper-polypharmacy" is defined as using more than ten medications on a regular basis. Elderly persons and others with chronic illnesses need to see multiple doctors and take various medications. As a result, polypharmacy in this society is a severe concern, ranging from 10% to 90% in various populations and, unfortunately, on the rise. Polypharmacy is frequently linked to adverse drug reactions (ADR), drug interactions, falls, prescribing cascades, patient non-adherence to medications, and even more severe outcomes such as hospitalisation and death. To deal with polypharmacy, we must analyse our patients and their medications to develop and implement a strategy for discontinuing or lowering medications that are no longer helpful or may be harmful. This procedure is known as "Deprescribing". Our health care professionals, particularly physicians and pharmacists, must become familiar with it and have sufficient knowledge of its set protocols to participate in it and reduce patient damage. The issue of polypharmacy and its numerous consequences for society (especially elderly patients) and the deprescribing process are covered in this article.
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spelling doaj.art-e5624e1cd88f44a3a4edff74f361640e2024-03-18T13:17:43ZengGerman Journal of Pharmaceuticals and BiomaterialsGerman Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials2750-624X2750-62582022-04-01112510.5530/gjpb.2022.1.224Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionalsShadi Sarahroodi0Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran Islamic Azad University of Medical SciencesLife expectancy has risen dramatically in accordance with human society's progress and our access to new treatments and therapies. As a result, the old population has grown significantly. "Polypharmacy" is defined as taking five or more medications regularly, and "Hyper-polypharmacy" is defined as using more than ten medications on a regular basis. Elderly persons and others with chronic illnesses need to see multiple doctors and take various medications. As a result, polypharmacy in this society is a severe concern, ranging from 10% to 90% in various populations and, unfortunately, on the rise. Polypharmacy is frequently linked to adverse drug reactions (ADR), drug interactions, falls, prescribing cascades, patient non-adherence to medications, and even more severe outcomes such as hospitalisation and death. To deal with polypharmacy, we must analyse our patients and their medications to develop and implement a strategy for discontinuing or lowering medications that are no longer helpful or may be harmful. This procedure is known as "Deprescribing". Our health care professionals, particularly physicians and pharmacists, must become familiar with it and have sufficient knowledge of its set protocols to participate in it and reduce patient damage. The issue of polypharmacy and its numerous consequences for society (especially elderly patients) and the deprescribing process are covered in this article.https://www.gjpb.de/index.php/gjpb/article/view/24polypharmacydeprescribinginteractionspharmacistphysician
spellingShingle Shadi Sarahroodi
Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
German Journal of Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials
polypharmacy
deprescribing
interactions
pharmacist
physician
title Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
title_full Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
title_fullStr Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
title_full_unstemmed Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
title_short Polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation, and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
title_sort polypharmacy is a challenge for our generation and the knowledge of deprescribing is a needed skill of our health care professionals
topic polypharmacy
deprescribing
interactions
pharmacist
physician
url https://www.gjpb.de/index.php/gjpb/article/view/24
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