10. The Polypharmacy Epidemic

Lecture Summary
This podcasts talks about an epidemic in the United States called polypharmacy. This is when a person takes multiple medications and it is becoming an increasing problem in the elderly. 

Key Points
- The opioid epidemic is still happening
- Polypharmacy occurs when an individual takes 5 or more medications
- Many people are being harmed by the drugs which are meant to help them
- Polypharmacy is one of the biggest ways that healthcare harms people and why iatrogenesis is thought to be the third leading cause of death in the United States.

References
Charlesworth et al. Polypharmacy Among Adults Aged 65 Years and Older in the United States: 1988-2010. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015.

Morin et al. The epidemiology of polypharmacy in older adults: register-based prospective cohort study. Clin Epidemiol. 2018.

Rawle et al. Assocations Between Polypharmacy and Cognitive and Physical Capabilities. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018.

Fried et al. Health outcomes associated with polypharmcy in community-dwelling older aduls: a systematic reveiew.. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014.

Wimmer et al. Clinical Outcomes Associated with Medication Regimen Complexity in Older People: A Systematic Review. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017.

Beers Criteria/List. American Geriatrical Society. 2019 addition