Polypharmacy and Inappropriate Medication Use
Abstract
Polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use have become major global healthcare challenges, particularly among older adults, patients with multimorbidity, pregnant women, and individuals receiving long-term treatment for chronic diseases. While the use of multiple medications is often necessary, it can increase the risk of adverse drug events, drug–drug interactions, herb–drug interactions, medication errors, poor adherence, and avoidable hospitalizations. This book provides a timely and comprehensive overview of the causes, consequences, and management of inappropriate medication practices across diverse patient populations. It explores important topics such as deprescribing, medication review, patient-centered care, chronic disease management, anticholinergic burden, medication safety during pregnancy and lactation, and the hidden risks associated with multi-mechanism drugs. The volume also highlights innovative approaches, including multi-target drug design, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and safer prescribing strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes. Bringing together clinical, pharmacological, and healthcare perspectives, this book serves as a valuable resource for pharmacists, physicians, nurses, researchers, healthcare administrators, and policymakers seeking practical solutions to optimize medication use and enhance patient safety.
Read the paper
Related studies
- 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association
- 2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association
- Outpatient gatifloxacin therapy and dysglycemia in older adults
- Safety of fluoroquinolones
- 2019 ACCP Annual Meeting
- Comparative risk of serious hypoglycemia among persons dispensed a fluoroquinolone versus a non-fluoroquinolone antibiotic
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.