Volume : 13, Issue : 06, June – 2026

Title:

POLYPHARMACY IN THE ELDERLY-PREVALENCE, CONSEQUENCES, AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Authors :

Ramavath Rajendhar, Ramavath Manjula, Aerva Swetha, Dr.P. Soma Shekhar

Abstract :

Older people taking five or more medicines at once – called polypharmacy – is now a major issue in medical care for aging populations. As the number of elderly individuals rises fast across the globe and within India, so does the need for multiple drugs due to several ongoing health conditions. Evidence gathered recently looks closely at how experts define this trend, how common it is, how bodies process many drugs together, what risks arise, which tools help evaluate patients, along with ways doctors can respond. Despite growing attention, handling too many prescriptions remains complex, especially when bodily functions slow with age. Each added medication shifts the balance, sometimes making treatment harder instead of better. Researchers examine patterns not just in usage but also in outcomes tied to long-term drug regimens among seniors. Understanding absorption, breakdown, and elimination becomes crucial since these processes change over time. Side effects pile up quietly until they surface as confusion, falls, or organ strain. Some screening systems flag risky combinations before harm occurs. Doctors weigh benefits against dangers case by case rather than following fixed rules. Adjustments often mean stopping certain pills instead of adding new ones. Conversations between clinicians and patients shape decisions more than guidelines alone.
Looking into how polypharmacy is defined and sorted worldwide. Across nations, numbers show how common it is – India included. Aging shifts how bodies process medicines, changing effects over time. Side effects pop up more often – think bad reactions, slips, trips, longer stays in hospitals, even earlier death. Tools like Beers 2023 or STOPP/START help spot risky prescriptions before harm shows. Cutting back wisely uses proof-backed methods to keep medicine use safer later in life.
Looking through existing reports shaped how we worked. We checked digital sources like PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, along with Google Scholar. Publications from January 2015 up until April 2025 caught our attention. Recent papers – especially those dated 2020 and later – were given more weight. Words such as ‘polypharmacy’, ‘elderly’, ‘geriatric’, plus others linked to drug safety guided what we found. Terms also covered issues like unwanted medicine effects, trimming prescriptions, questionable drugs, multiple health conditions, and checking medication routines. Research carried out in India stood out during analysis.
Most older adults take multiple medicines at once, though exact numbers shift – anywhere from 1 in 9 up to more than two-thirds – depending on how it’s measured and where. Hospitals in India report such cases often, crossing past 40%, sometimes hitting nearly seven out of ten patients. Bodies process drugs differently with age, making bad reactions far more likely. Taking many prescriptions raises chances for harm: troubles like dizziness leading to slips, fading memory, longer stays in clinics, even earlier death – risk jumps by more than double. Guidelines updated in 2023 – the AGS Beers list plus STOPP/START version three, now covering 190 clear points – help spot treatments that might do more damage than good.
Most older adults take several medicines at once, which can cause serious health problems. Fixing this means doctors, pharmacists, and nurses working together to rethink prescriptions. Instead of just adding drugs, they carefully check each one and stop those that may do more harm than good. Tools proven by research help guide these decisions. Clear plans built around the patient lower risks tied to too many pills.
Polypharmacy Risks in Older Adults with Multiple Health Conditions

Cite This Article: