Elderly person discharged from hospital multiple drugs New research suggests that regaining independence during rehabilitation is unlikely.
A Japanese study published Dec. 17 in the journal BMC Geriatrics investigated the impact of polypharmacy (defined as taking six or more prescription drugs on a regular basis) in convalescent rehabilitation hospitals in Japan.
This retrospective observational study investigated 1,903 patients Over 65 years old According to a press release, they underwent rehabilitation at the hospital from April 2017 to March 2024.
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Patients had one of three conditions: cerebrovascular disease (disorders of blood vessels in the brain that reduce or block blood flow), movement disorders (conditions that affect movement and muscle control), or disuse syndrome (inactivity that causes muscle weakness and physical weakness).
Of the total group, 62.1% of patients were taking six or more medications at the time of discharge, and more than 76% of them were over 80 years old.
Those taking multiple medications were also more likely to take benzodiazepine receptor agonists (used for anxiety and insomnia), laxatives, and psychotropic drugs (used primarily for depression, anxiety, psychosis, and other mood disorders).
Researchers determined that polypharmacy patients had the following symptoms: cerebrovascular disease Disuse syndrome also resulted in significantly lower scores on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), which assesses how independently a person is able to perform daily activities, especially after illness, injury, or hospitalization. People in the movement disorder group did not show any association between polypharmacy and FIM.
The negative effects were stronger in adults over 80 and in people recovering from stroke-related symptoms or general weakness due to lack of exercise.
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Based on these findings, researchers suggest that reviewing and reducing unnecessary medications may help speed recovery for people undergoing rehabilitation.
Dr. Mark Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News, said: Polypharmacy with the elderly as a “dangerous proposition.”
“Each drug has a purpose and is often important, but we have to keep in mind that as we age, our ability to tolerate and efficiently metabolize different drugs decreases,” he told FOX News Digital.
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“For example, if you take sedating or disorienting drugs, you’re more likely to develop this as you get older.”
Drug interactions also tend to increase. patient becomes olderadded Siegel.
“These all have to be closely monitored by a doctor. In some cases, less is more,” he said.
The researchers acknowledged that the study had some limitations. Due to its retrospective and observational design, it does not prove that the drug caused the results.
The researchers also noted a lack of data on specific doses of drugs and intensity of rehabilitation. Also, this study just single hospitalTherefore, the results may not apply to the more general population.
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Future research is needed to determine which specific drugs have the most impact on recovery and explore the best approaches to reducing prescriptions.
