What Is Polypharmacy?
Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of many different medications by the same person. This can result in a gradual accumulation of side effects. Problems may be increased by taking: • Dosages that are too high • Medications that are incorrectly prescribed or filled • Medications that interact with or duplicate the actions of other medications • Herbal supplements/remedies that interact with prescription medication Polypharmacy can result in adverse drug events, complicating therapy, increasing cost, and presenting a challenge for healthcare agencies.
