Acknowledging Polypharmacy In

“Contratheraputic is when an individual experience unintentional or unanticipated adverse effects while the individual is on a drug regimen that is not closely monitored by a doctor” (Understanding and Managing Polypharmacy in Elderly, 2004). Screening elderly for polypharmacy is crucial because adverse side effects of some medications can imitate other problems such as confusion, incontinence, urinary retention, and falls which may cause a physician to prescribe another medication to help treat those symptoms. The Beers criteria is a list of drugs that may be inappropriate for elderly patients as the risks outweigh the benefits, an example is the use of urinary anticholinergic which could prevent one episode of incontinence every 48 hours but can cause constipation, dry mouth, dry eyes, impaired cognition and increased risk of

Due to the large number of consumers being prescribed multiple medications, and the complexity of managing those medications, it is of a major safety concern that systems are in place for clinicians to reconcile patients medications to resolve any discrepancies in what the patient is using, or should be using, and newly added ones.

Human health and theIR quality of life have been improving in the past 100 due to changes in medicine and in public health (Mattes et al., 2013). Patients are placed on multiple medications at the same time and it important to understand their safety, efficacy, drug interaction, and toxicity (Mattes et al., 2013). As Mr. Cynthia Nurse practitioner, my job is to understand what affect her prescribing medication is having on her body. I have place Mrs. Cynthia on Lisinopril for her hypertension and metformin for her type II diabetes.

Inappropriate prescribing commonly occurs in adults aged 65 or older, who have a higher prevalence of chronic disease, disability, and dependency (Page II, Linnebur, Bryant, & Ruscin, 2010). Exposure to inappropriate medications is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization (Page II, Linnebur, Bryant, & Ruscin, 2010). Below is a list of measures that concentrate on the prescribing of correct medications in the hospital

Nearly half of seniors do not take their medications when or how they were prescribed. There are mistakes on dosages, methods of delivery, time of delivery, what they should be taken with, and even if they should still be taken. Compounding the issue, most seniors over the age of 65 are taking between 8 and 13 different medications. Put these numbers together and it is no wonder that problems with medication management are one of the leading reasons seniors end up in the emergency room, and is the number one reason seniors end up back in the hospital after being recently discharged. According to a study published in "Pharmacotherapy", nearly 70 percent of hospitalized seniors suffered from at least one

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of older adult pharmacology is the concomitant use of multiple medications. Among community-

In the United States today, the elderly make up approximately 13% of the population but use 30% of all prescriptions written. This article focuses on the importance of understanding patients’ prescriptions and their adverse drug events (ADE), as well as the best ways to care for patients with many prescriptions. The article also discusses the best ways to avoid ADEs.

According to an article written by Anna Gorman of Health Leaders Media, the use of prescription drugs is a growing concern. The article mentions Lola Cal, a patient in a geriatric unit in Santa Monica, California whose medical records show that she is on 36 different medications. Although people born from 1946 to 1964, known as the baby boomer generation, only make up 16% of the U. S. population, this generation accounts for one-third of prescription drug use. Many elderly patients take several medications to treat chronic illnesses and raise their chances for serious side effects and dangerous drug interactions. Dr. Maristela Garcia, director of the inpatient geriatric unit at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica states that polypharmacy is “America’s other drug problem.

Polypharmacy among the elderly is a growing concern in U.S. healthcare system. Patients who have comorbities and take multiple medications are at a higher risk for potential adverse drug reactions. There is a great need for nursing interventions in conducting a patient medication review also known as “brown bag”. As nurses obtain history data from patients at a provider visit, the nurse should ask “what medications are you taking?” and the answer needs to include over-the-counter medications as well. If the response does not include any medications other than prescribed meds, it is incumbent upon the nursing professionals to question the patient further to ensure that no over-the-counter medications or supplements are

Patients walk into our clinics daily with a variety of complaints. Many things we can observe and assess drive our decisions for plans of care. However, there are some things about our patients we can’t see. Some things nobody would know under normal circumstances. How most medications are metabolized is predictable across the population, but some medications throw us a curve ball. Polypharmacy is a necessity in primary care. As primary care providers (PCPs) we see patients for both chronic and acute pathologies. Understanding metabolic pathways is expected of us as providers, but that doesn’t make us invulnerable to poor outcomes despite best efforts. In the following

In elderly people, polypharmacy is known to be associated with adverse drug events otherwise defined as “presence of untoward and unintended symptoms, signs or abnormal laboratory values arising from the appropriate or inappropriate use of prescription or over-the counter medications” (13).

Older adults are at high risk for adverse effects of medication error more than their counteract younger adults. This is because they depend on more than one medication in order to treat or prevent disease, syndromes and sickness (Lindenberg, 2010). It is inevitable that the elderly face adverse effects of drugs while on medication especially when they still live independently. However, chances of errors in hospitals and care homes are more frequent when the medication process connects several departments (Belen et. al., 2009). Therefore, tactical measures are required in the provision of drug therapy in order to optimize safe medication in older adults. This paper discusses the issue by analyzing the existing structure of administering medication, reviewing the occurrence of medication errors; evaluating systems developed to advance safe medication administration. Finally, addressing the implication for professional nursing practice.

Optimizing drug therapy is an essential part of caring for an older person. The process of prescribing a medication is complex and includes: deciding that a drug is indicated, choosing the best drug, determining a dose and schedule appropriate for the patient's physiologic status, monitoring for effectiveness and toxicity, educating the patient about expected side effects, and indications for seeking consultation. Multiple factors contribute to the appropriateness and overall quality of drug prescribing. These include avoidance of inappropriate medications, appropriate use of indicated medications, monitoring for side effects and drug levels, avoidance of drug-drug interactions, and involvement of the patient and integration of patient values.

Secondly, a national pharmacare program resolves the problems of underuse of needed therapy (Morgan, et al. 2015). The current system separates the management of medicine from the management of health care; consequently, this approach negatively impacts the safe and effective use of medicines (Morgan, et al. 2015). Studies reveal that one in three elderly Canadians receive prescriptions for drugs known to pose health risks for older patients (Morgan, et al. 2015). Canada needs a program to ensure the safe use of

Elderly patients are more at risk for ADEs because of the number of medications that they are on and the effects that they can have (Vejar 72). It is important to educate patients about their prescriptions and over the counter drugs. The patients should know why they are taking each medication and what the side effects of their medications are. This is why it is recommended that patients bring all the medications they are taking with them to their doctor’s appointments so the physician can see exactly what medications they are taking. This can also help to make sure they are not taking too many medications that are supposed to treat the same things. One goal is to have all the patient’s active medications recorded in the EMR (Vejar 74). Improving the rates of medication documentation provided safer and higher quality of care for patients. Some of the most effective outcomes for teaching patients about their medications were found to be reminder notes in the exam rooms talking about how medications react differently when mixed with other medications. Not only is polypharmacy a safety issue, but it is also an example of quality improvement and patient-centered care (Vejar