Polypharmacy - Solutions for Enhanced Drug Safety

Polypharmacy (≥ 5 drugs) is common among older people and may lead to falls, ADEs and delirium. Adherence is an important part in the medication management. Simple questions (i. e. for OTC, handling and omission of drugs) are effective. As most old people are treated by general practitioners (GP), t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inDeutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946) Vol. 142; no. 14; p. 1046
Main Authors Krause, Olaf, Picksak, Gesine, Junius-Walker, Ulrike
Format Journal Article
LanguageGerman
Published Germany 01.07.2017
Subjects
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Drug Monitoring - methods
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions - prevention & control
Female
Geriatric Assessment - methods
Germany
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Polypharmacy
Quality Improvement - organization & administration
Safety Management - organization & administration
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Summary:Polypharmacy (≥ 5 drugs) is common among older people and may lead to falls, ADEs and delirium. Adherence is an important part in the medication management. Simple questions (i. e. for OTC, handling and omission of drugs) are effective. As most old people are treated by general practitioners (GP), they play a key role for drug safety and reducing polypharmacy. The involvement of pharmacists in analyzing one patient's drugs can enhance solutions for drug problems ("two-man rule"). An IT-based medication plan acts as an important communication tool for an enhanced team work between doctors, pharmacists and nursing care.
ISSN:1439-4413