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Polypharmacy

The use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication. Since in the United States most drugs are dispensed as single-agent formulations, polypharmacy, though using many drugs administered to the same patient, must be differentiated from DRUG COMBINATIONS, single preparations containing two or more drugs as a fixed dose, and from DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION, two or more drugs administered separately for a combined effect. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)
Also Known As:
Polymedication
Networked: 4658 relevant articles (108 outcomes, 543 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Therapy Context: Research Results

Experts

1. O'Mahony, Denis: 19 articles (01/2022 - 03/2008)
2. Onder, Graziano: 17 articles (03/2022 - 06/2012)
3. Correll, Christoph U: 17 articles (01/2020 - 01/2007)
4. Hilmer, Sarah N: 16 articles (01/2022 - 10/2004)
5. Bernabei, Roberto: 14 articles (03/2022 - 01/2012)
6. Watanabe, Koichiro: 14 articles (03/2022 - 11/2003)
7. Gnjidic, Danijela: 14 articles (01/2022 - 09/2012)
8. Reeve, Emily: 14 articles (01/2021 - 02/2014)
9. Nightingale, Ginah: 13 articles (08/2022 - 05/2015)
10. Cherubini, Antonio: 12 articles (11/2021 - 01/2012)

Related Diseases

1. Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
09/01/1998 - "Geriatric patients exhibit a decline in the hepatic clearance of certain drugs and a marked increase in the frequency of adverse drug reactions, reflecting an increase in polypharmacy regimens and declines in liver volume and blood flow rather than reduced Phase I metabolism. "
06/01/2023 - "Additionally, the system was found to be beneficial for patients and their caregivers in understanding their medications, as well as usable and acceptable among healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers, highlighting the potential to improve the prescription process and reduce errors, and enhancing the quality of care for elderly patients with polypharmacy, reducing adverse drug events, and improving medication management."
01/01/2016 - "Polypharmacy has become an emerging public health issue in recent years, since use of multiple medications or polypharmacy is beneficial for many conditions, but may also have negative effects like adverse drug reactions. "
07/31/2012 - "The combination of ART with polypharmacy significantly increases the chance of potentially serious drug-drug interactions (DDIs), which can lead to drug toxicity, poorer ART adherence, loss of efficacy of the coadministered medication, or virologic breakthrough. "
03/01/2017 - "Studies focused on minimizing polypharmacy indicate that deprescribing may be associated with potential benefits including resolution of adverse drug reactions, improved quality of life and medication adherence and a reduction in drug costs. "
2. Frailty
3. Schizophrenia (Dementia Praecox)
4. Heart Failure
5. Chronic Disease (Chronic Diseases)

Related Drugs and Biologics

1. Antipsychotic Agents (Antipsychotics)
2. Clozapine (Clozaril)
3. Rivaroxaban
4. fesoterodine
5. Antidepressive Agents (Antidepressants)
6. Anticoagulants
7. Anticonvulsants (Antiepileptic Drugs)
8. Hypnotics and Sedatives (Sedatives)
9. Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors)
10. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACE Inhibitors)

Related Therapies and Procedures

1. Therapeutics
2. Deprescriptions
3. Complementary Therapies (Alternative Medicine)
4. Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy)
5. Activities of Daily Living (ADL)