Attaching great importance to polypharmacy in elderly patients / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Based on the ongoing clinical experiences at our outpatient pharmacy and geriatrics multidisciplinary inpatient and outpatient services,we believe that polypharmacy among elderly patients is serious and pervasive in China.This observation is supported by the findings from literature review.To help address this serious issue in senior care,we recommend to gain better understanding of age-related physiological changes of the elderly as well as those in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics,and to conduct prescription review and medication reconciliation.The multi-and interdisciplinary approach employed by modern geriatrics care model,involving doctors,pharmacists and nurses,should further help address this issue and promote rational use of pharmaceuticals in the elderly patients.