Polypharmacy in older adults at home: what it is and what to do about it-implications for home healthcare and hospice, part 2.

Polypharmacy-the use of more medications than are clinically indicated-is a problem that affects many older adults. Adults aged 65 years and older make up approximately 13% of the population, but they consume nearly one third of all prescriptions dispensed. Older adults are more prone to adverse drug reactions and drug-drug interactions because of physiological changes and multiple comorbidities.