A patient who has previously been exposed to polypharmacy may not receive other medications 
 - Challenges associated with communication
 - Diagnostic Overshadowing
 - Fear of drug-drug interaction with previously prescribed medications

Cedarville University

The use of multiple medications to treat a certain condition. Can cause side effects through drug-drug interaction.

Polypharmacy

O'Dwyer, M., McCallion, P., McCarron, M., & Henman, M. (2018). Medication use and potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults with intellectual disabilities: a neglected area of research. Therapeutic advances in drug safety, 9(9), 535–557. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042098618782785

Medication use and potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults with intellectual disabilities: a neglected area of research

Increase in number of drugs prescribed:
- More prescribing errors
- Higher prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADR)

Risks of Increasing the Number of Prescribed Drugs 

 - Living in Industrial settings
- Mental health conditions
- Neurological Conditions
- More common in Females

Factors Associated with Higher Rates of Polypharmacy in Adults with ID 


- Antipsychotics
- Antiepileptic drugs (AEDS)
- Antidepressants 
- Laxatives

The Most Common Therapeutic Drug Classes used in Adults with ID for Polypharmacy

Theraputic Classes in Older Population:
 - Cardiac Therapies
- Analgesics
- Gastrointestinal agents
- Antithrombotics


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