Polypharmacy of Prescription Medications Increased for US Older Adults
A study published in JAMA reveals that polypharmacy, the concurrent use of multiple prescription medications, increased among U.S. older adults between 2021 and 2023. While some risky drug interactions declined, the overall trend highlights ongoing challenges in medication safety for the elderly.
Why it matters
As the population ages, managing complex medication regimens is vital to preventing adverse health outcomes and drug-related complications.
HealthDay News - Polypharmacy involving prescription medications affected more than one-third of older adults in 2021 to 2023, according to a research letter published online Sept. 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association .
Dima Mazen Qato, Pharm.D., Ph.D., from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and colleagues estimated changes in the use and concurrent use of prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements in the United States between 2015 to 2016 and 2021 to 2023. The analysis included data from 4,940 participants aged 62 to 85 years in waves 3 and 4 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project.
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