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Polypharmacy

Discuss two (2) common risk factors for polypharmacy. Give the rationale for each identified risk factor.

Polypharmacy is developing into a common challenge and particularly to the aging population. It involves the consumption of multiple medications at the same time to treat different medical conditions. Carroll (2019) suggests thatfactors that increase susceptibility to polypharmacy include; old age, which comes with exposure to several medical challenges that require management, and cognitive impairment that warrant continuous care and treatment. Also, mental health conditionsamong people depend on psychotropic medications and other added prescriptions to counter the side effects of psychotropic medication. Similarly, treatment of long-term diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, stroke, and many more would lead to polypharmacy. These diseases require lifetime management by the patients to reduce their risk of death.

 The healthcare system also possesses challenges that are risk factors for polypharmacy. First, the lack of a prominent care physician makes the patients rely on multiple physicians who are likely to prescribe different medications. Secondly, poor medical record-keeping and utilization of automated refill systems, which allows the patients to access unmonitored medicines for a prolonged time, are risk factors. Finally, the poor shift of care is likely to lead to secondary issues such as misdiagnosis, wrong medication, and other challenges.

Discuss two interventions you can take as a Nurse Practitioner in your clinical practice to prevent polypharmacy and its complications.

As a nurse, you can play a critical role in alleviating the occurrence of polypharmacy in patients. According to Accetta (2016), some interventions include medication reconciliationfor new hospital admissions or transferred patients for short-term or long-term care. It helps avoid duplication of medication, especially for temporary or acute medical conditions that may arise from any chronic or longstanding diseases that the patient may have. This information may advise the next cause of action, which would probably require management. Additionally, one may conduct total medication reviewsand take the most appropriate measures depending on the results. It helps alleviate double prescription or unnecessary drugs that may range from supplements to prescription drugs. Also, it advises on the need of or not for the medication the patient has been consuming.

References

Accetta, R. C. (2016). Polypharmacy: strategies for reducing the consequences of multiple medications. Today’s Geriatric Medicine, 9(3), 24.

Lucia Reyes

Common Risk Factors for Polypharmacy 

Polypharmacy refers to the use of multiple medication usually more than five by an individual (Masnoon et al, 2017).  There are various risk factors to polypharmacy. Some of these risk factors are related to the patients. One of these factors is having multiple conditions. A patient may be diagnosed with multiple condition that cannot be treated with a single medication. This compels a health practitioner to prescribe more than 5 medications so as to address the conditions. The conditions may be unrelated making it difficult to use limited number of medications. Therefore, a medical practitioner will not have any other option rather than prescribing multiple medications. Secondly, another risk factor that is associated with polypharmacy is age. According to Ersoy & Engin, (2018) the risk to polypharmacy increases with the increase in age. As one become older he or she becomes more prone to various disease conditions. This calls for use of multiple medications to keep one healthy. Those who are above the age of 50 years are at high risk of various disease conditions such as mental health disorders, cardiovascular disorders and diabetes among others. Therefore, being at old age one is at high risk of the polypharmacy. 

Interventions to Prevent Polypharmacy and Its Complications

            Nurses can take various interventions directed towards the prevention of polypharmacy as well as its complications. One of the most effective recommendations is monitoring and reviewing the patient’s medication list before prescription (Urfer et al., 2016). This ensures that that the nurses in their clinical practice do not overburden the patient with medications. The review and monitoring will prevent the medication burden and also reduce associated complications as it ensures there is no adverse drug to drug interactions. The second intervention that can help to reduce polypharmacy is considering other healthy alternatives to medications. For instance, the nurse can recommend a patient to adopt healthy ways such as adopting healthy diet, engage in exercise or consider non-medical interventions. This will save the patient from the polypharmacy issues and associated complications. 

References

Ersoy, S., & Engin, V. S. (2018). Risk factors for polypharmacy in older adults in a primary care setting: a cross-sectional study.  Clinical interventions in aging,  13, 2003–2011.  https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S176329

Masnoon, N., Shakib, S., Kalisch-Ellett, L., & Caughey, G. E. (2017). What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of

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