Recently, a story was published on MSNBC about the effects of overmedication

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in older adults. Polypharmacy, as it is called, is the use of multiple medications.  Sometimes it’s a difficult condition to assess because doctors may attribute any abnormal or change in behavior as a normal effect of the illness the medications are used for.  I often wondered if this was the case for my mom. She went from taking 2 pills a day prior to her fall last year to 7 medications. The 3 medicines she was taking consisted of high blood pressure pills, Namenda for Alzheimers and diabetes medication. Because of her agitated state last year, she was put on 4 other pills for treating her anxiety. They consisted of anti-psychotics and anti-depressants.

Fortunately, my mom’s agitation has decreased a great deal. She no longer screams all night, or cries. However, her once spunky behavior has diminished. She’s almost “too” calm. It’s a tricky balance for us because we don’t want her to feel scared or angry. Yet, we don’t want her to be a vegetable either. For us, it’s a matter of choosing from the 2 evils and for now, she will stay on her meds unless something changes.

Some Facts

• Polypharmacy is common for those over age 65
• Over 1 million adverse reactions from meds occurs every year in the U.S.
• Adding more drugs actually worsens the problem of a disease rather than help. Many doctors mistake the symptoms as a worsening of the disease and start to overmedicate the patient.
• In a “pill-popping” culture, patients are also to blame for asking for mediine to “fix” a problem that doesn’t exist.
• The problem is compounded when a person visits many doctors. They may not know what other doctors prescribed to the patient for other ailments. *Fortunately, my parents belong to the same healthcare system and see doctors within that healthcare system. What one doctor prescribes, the other doctor can see on the patient chart online immediately.

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