- About one-third of adverse events in hospitalizations include a drug-related harm, leading to longer hospital stays and greater expense.
- One-fifth of patients discharged from the hospital have a drug-related complication after returning home, many of which are preventable.
- Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries have two or more chronic conditions, and almost half take five or more medications. Over a year, almost 20% take 10 or more drugs or supplements.
- At least one in five older patients are on an inappropriate medication -- one that they can do without or that can be switched to a different, safer drug.
- One study found that 44% of frail, older patients were prescribed at least one drug unnecessarily.
- A study of over 200,000 older veterans with diabetes found that over half were candidates for dropping a blood pressure or blood sugar control medication.
- Some studies cite even higher numbers -- 60% of older Americans may be on a drug they don't need.
I rarely rely on the rag called the New York Times for anything at all, including anything they call "news" but this article link was embedded within another article I was reading, so I thought I'd post it here because the message is a good one. There are many other places you could find this information if, like me, you don't like to read at the NYT.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/upshot/how-many-pills-are-too-many.html