Polypharmacy and Drug-Drug Interactions Among Older Adults.

Polypharmacy and potential major drug-drug interactions increased among US older adults from 2015-2016 to 2021-2023, highlighting rising medication complexity.

• Why it matters: Understanding these trends is crucial because older adults are vulnerable to adverse drug events due to multiple medications and interactions, yet data on recent changes are limited.
• What they did: The study analyzed a nationally representative sample to compare prescription, OTC medications, and dietary supplement use, focusing on concurrent use and potential major drug-drug interactions over two periods.
• The result: Findings reveal an increase in polypharmacy and drug-drug interactions, emphasizing the need for improved medication management and monitoring to reduce risks in this population.