Polypharmacy in Older Adults

Polypharmacy, by definition, is the concurrent use of several different medications consumed by a person. Often these multiple medications are in the same class and are used to treat more than one chronic condition. Older individuals are often faced with issues of polypharmacy due to multiple chronic conditions and multiple providers. The risks associated with polypharmacy can lead to increased adverse effects, falls, and decreased risk of medication compliance. This paper will discuss the issues surrounding polypharmacy and provide a case example to illustrate the significance of this problem.