Polypharmacy is a Health Killer: Personalized Medication Management is the Answer
MedCity News November 20, 2024
We cannot change the fact that some patients must take multiple drugs, but we can certainly change how we manage it with careful coordination and communication among healthcare providers, and personalized medicine practices such as pharmacogenomics.
In today’s healthcare system, we stand at a critical crossroads when it comes to medication management. For decades, the practice of polypharmacy — prescribing multiple drugs to treat various symptoms and conditions — has been the default approach, particularly for older adults and patients with chronic illnesses. However, this one-size-fits-all method is failing too many. The consequences of this scattershot approach are clear: a rising tide of adverse drug reactions, ineffective treatments, and overwhelming costs that burden both patients and the system.
To improve...