I read a story about a man in his 70s arriving at his medication appointment accompanied by his daughter and his five-page prescription spreadsheet. The pharmacist at the appointment specialized in geriatrics and after reviewing the well-organized documents, she was horrified at the number of medications and duplications.
The pharmacist asked how it had gotten to this point and the daughter explained that her father was taking medications for several chronic conditions and was admitted for treatment. When he entered the treatment center, all of his medications were bagged and hauled away. Once he was finally discharged, he was given more medications. Alongside his new list of prescriptions, the daughter said that when he was leaving, another staff member returned his bag of previous prescriptions.
The pharmacist said, “He ended up with three times as many meds as he needed because nobody actually went through everything and told him to throw all the old stuff away.”
This story is unfortunately not unique to this man and his daughter; there are many cases where medication use is mismanaged and overprescribed. Understanding what polypharmacy means, the eye-opening statistics around prescription medication, and the effects of polypharmacy extending greater than the patient, will motivate you to turn to a better way forward and have autonomy in your health.
What is Polypharmacy?
Polypharmacy is defined as the regular use of 5 or more medications at the same time. Older populations are the most common age demographic affected as trends demonstrate a battle with increased chronic health conditions as we age. Despite this, polypharmacy is still prevalent in individuals with multiple chronic health conditions–regardless of age.
Polypharmacy Statistics
The United States grapples with the highest medication rate in the world, making this phenomenon a major public health concern. Because of this, many health providers contend with prescribing adequate medication to treat symptoms while attempting to manage the amount of prescriptions someone is on.
According to the CDC, U.S. adults aged 60-79 had used at least one prescription drug in the previous days and about one-third used five or more prescription drugs. Here are more statistics on polypharmacy:
A study showed that patients taking 5-9 medications had a 50% increased chance of adverse drug interaction.
Polypharmacy accounts for over 30% of all hospitalization admissions and is the fifth leading cause of deaths in the U.S.
People over 65 are nearly 7 times more likely than younger people to have an emergency visit to the hospital, most of the time because of a negative drug interaction.
As we age, our ability to break down the chemicals and compounds in medication decreases due to changes in the liver and kidneys. Because of this, older populations may have a greater risk of toxic build up and higher drug levels in their bodies if doses are not examined frequently or well-managed. This can lead to an increase of adverse drug effects (ADE). Although conventional medicine is heroic in acute cases, getting to the root cause of symptoms and not attaching a diagnosis with a lifelong prescription medication is the only way to true healing.
Affecting More Than Just the Patient
Like the case of the older gentleman
and his daughter, being on multiple
medications creates a lasting impact
on more than just the patient. This
burden is also carried by family
members as they need to understand
all the medications prescribed by
(multiple) providers, create schedules
for when to take pills, organize finances and bills, and make countless trips to the pharmacy for prescription pick up. The effects of this phenomena extend greater than just the physical and mental weight–the emotional effects of caring for a loved one and witnessing how the side effects of medication impact their relationship cannot be confined to a statistic or category.
Conclusion: A Better Way Forward
Having autonomy for your health is one of the greatest actions you can take to reduce your risk of being prescribed unwanted medication. Being accountable towards healing–even if it is not a quick fix–frees you from being tied to a diagnosis as a label with corresponding medication for the rest of your life. There is power in asking questions and being your own health advocate!
Although conventional medicine provides great care in acute issues, other aspects of health commonly get dismissed upon treatment. Functional medicine providers examine all aspects of health: lifestyle, nutrition, activity levels, and mental health because the underlying root of disease and sickness cannot be fixed with a pill. A better way forward begins with reaching out, seeking answers, and prioritizing your health.
Sources
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/helmopen/rlos/pharmacology/pharmacokinetics/clearance2/3.html #:~:text=Age:%20The%20elderly&text=This%20results%20in%20a%20decrease,lower%20dos e%20in%20the%20elderly.
https://www.atrainceu.com/content/5-pharmacokinetics-and-aging-process#:~:text=Age%2Drelat ed%20changes%20in%20renal,clearance%20and%20glomerular%20filtration%20rate.
Comments