Articles by Dr. Erdman are for informational purposes, and are not to be taken as specific medical advice.
Medication use as we age will likely increase to some
degree. The older we get, the more things that can go wrong with our bodies.
The problem is that it is getting out of control compared to years ago.
The New York Times reports that the average person in their
mid to late 60’s today is taking 15 prescription medications per year! That
doesn’t even count the over-the-counter medications many are adding.
In 2016, 75% of people over the age of 50 were taking at
least one prescription regularly. Today more than 80% are taking two, and 50%
are taking 4 or more regularly.
From 1988 to 2010, adults over 65 doubled the prescriptions they took regularly from two to four. The proportion taking 5 or more tripled in the same time frame. Yet the health of seniors overall is declining
.Older adults on multiple medications have worse health
status compared to those on fewer medications. This translates to a negative
effect on activities of daily living. Things like confusion and memory problems
are worse in those taking the most medications.
The more meds you take, the higher the instances of
interactions causing adverse effects. This results in higher hospitalization
rates, increased death rates and excessive health care costs.
Researchers report these adverse drug reactions are
responsible for up to 12% of all hospital admissions of seniors.
Yet going to the hospital for an over use of medications
only seems to make it worse. Many who enter a hospital with over medications
effects only leave the hospital with even more medications!
Another problem is the number of times a new drugs given to
take care of the side effects of another drug being taken. This is known as the
“prescribing cascade.”
Dr. Michael Stern, a geriatric medicine specialist at New
York Presbyterian Hospital, told a reporter that overprescribed medications
account for one fourth of all hospital admissions, and if categorized that way,
would be considered the 5th leading cause of death in seniors.
One of the worst overprescribed drugs given to seniors are
antidepressants. Of all the antidepressant medications prescribed to seniors,
only 14.3% meet the criteria for having a major depressive episode.
Yet again, the statistics show more prescriptions do not
translate into fewer depressive illnesses. From 1990 to 2015, researchers
gathered data in England, Canada, the USA and Australia and found the incidence
of depressive symptoms had not decreased despite an increase in medication in
all countries.
Please keep an eye out for the older folks in your family.
Be concerned when they come home with multiple new prescriptions. Ask and be
informed on their health decisions. The older we get, we sometimes aren’t aware
of what is being done to us in the name of healthcare. The easiest thing to get
from a doctor is more medication, but sometimes that shouldn’t be the answer.
Over medication can be just as bad as not taking necessary medications.