Your next prescription could be treating a side effect from the last one
A study in Ontario reveals that older adults often experience 'prescribing cascades,' where side effects from one medication are misidentified as new conditions and treated with additional, unnecessary drugs. This cycle increases healthcare costs and risks of drug-related harm.
Why it matters
Identifying and preventing inappropriate prescribing cascades is essential for improving patient safety and reducing waste in healthcare systems.
A large study across Ontario has found that widely used medications, including statins and iron supplements, can sometimes trigger a chain of additional prescriptions in older adults. In these cases, a side effect from one drug may be mistaken for a new medical condition, prompting treatment with another medication.
The research, published in BMJ , was led by Dr. Paula Rochon, Director of Research at the Weston and O'Born Center for Mature Women's Health at Sinai Health in Toronto. The findings suggest that certain combinations of prescriptions represent a common but often overlooked source of drug-related harm across the population. They can also create avoidable costs for the healthcare system.
When a Side Effect Leads to Another Prescription
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