Understanding the Medication List and Addressing Polypharmacy in Older Adults

Polypharmacy is a common issue when caring for older adults. Albeit clinically justified for some patients, it is critical that the interprofessional team constantly reevaluates the patient’s medication list to minimize negative consequences such as adverse drug events or prescribing cascade. There are many reasons polypharmacy occurs, but it is the role of every healthcare professional to try to address it, especially the pharmacist. Pharmacists can play a key role in educating older adults and their care team about medication-related problems such as drug interactions and potential side effects.