TL;DR
Get health and wellness essentials delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Journalist Paula Span discussed medication reviews for older adults during a Sept. 30 appearance on WAMU’s Health Hub, warning that prescriptions can accumulate and may cause side effects or become unnecessary. Experts advise patients and caregivers to ask a clinician or pharmacist to review the full medication list; the report does not establish that any specific medicine should be stopped.
Older adults and their caregivers should ask health professionals to review the full list of medicines they take, journalist Paula Span said during a Sept. 30 appearance on WAMU’s Health Hub. The discussion focused on how prescriptions can accumulate over time, potentially contributing to side effects and leaving patients unsure whether older medicines remain appropriate.
Span, who writes The New Old Age column for The New York Times and KFF Health News, discussed commonly used medicines, including aspirin and benzodiazepines, that some older patients may be overusing. The report does not identify individual patients or provide figures on how common such use is. Its central advice is practical: patients and caregivers should check with a doctor to see whether each medicine remains suitable.
Physician K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said the likelihood of medication problems rises as the number of prescriptions increases. He said that once a person takes six or seven prescription medicines, there is a “nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance.” That is a statement attributed to De Jonge in the report, not a patient-specific risk estimate or a guarantee that every person taking that number of medicines will experience a problem.
Span said prescriptions can remain in a person’s routine even after circumstances or medical evidence change. Patients should not stop or change medication on their own; the recommendation is to discuss the complete medication list with a doctor or pharmacist. The source does not give a specific review schedule or say that a particular drug is inappropriate for every older patient.
Why Medication Reviews Matter
A medication review can help a patient and clinician check for side effects, possible interactions and medicines that may no longer be needed. That matters when prescriptions have been added over years, because a patient may not remember why a medicine was started or whether the original reason still applies. A full list can also give the care team a clearer view than reviewing each prescription separately.
The report’s message is not that older adults should avoid multiple medicines. Some people need several prescriptions to manage different health conditions. Instead, the discussion highlights the value of periodic, individualized review, especially when a person has a long-standing regimen or experiences a new symptom. A clinician who knows the patient’s health history can weigh potential benefits and risks before recommending any change.
Patients and caregivers can help by bringing an up-to-date list that includes prescriptions, over-the-counter products and supplements. Asking what each medicine is for, whether it is still needed and what side effects to watch for can make the review more useful. These are questions to raise with a qualified professional, not a substitute for medical advice.
medication management organizer for seniors
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Prescriptions Accumulate
The KFF Health News report describes a common process: medicines are prescribed based on evidence and a patient’s circumstances at the time, while research and those circumstances can later change. Span said that patients may continue taking a drug out of habit and that clinicians may not always be up to date on the latest research. Her comments were part of a discussion on older adults’ medication use, rather than a new clinical guideline or a formal policy announcement.
That distinction matters. The source offers a call for patients and caregivers to be proactive and consult health professionals; it does not present a new study, identify a newly discovered danger, or recommend that all older patients discontinue aspirin, benzodiazepines or other medicines. Whether a medicine remains appropriate depends on the individual and should be discussed with a clinician familiar with the patient’s care.
““Once you get to six or seven prescription medications, you get a nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance.””
— K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center
pill organizer with medication review reminder
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Questions the Report Leaves Open
The supplied report does not specify the year of the Sept. 30 broadcast, provide a transcript or link to a new study, or explain the methodology behind De Jonge’s estimate about side effects or intolerance among people taking six or seven prescriptions. It also does not quantify how often older adults take medicines that are no longer necessary or identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a change.
No medication change is advised for a particular patient in the report. The discussion does not set out a universal review interval, a standard deprescribing plan or evidence that any one medicine should be stopped. Those decisions depend on a person’s diagnoses, treatment goals and other medicines, details that are not addressed in the source.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Bring the Full List to Care
The next step for patients and caregivers is to ask the prescribing doctor or a pharmacist for a review of all medicines currently being taken. A written list can include prescriptions, nonprescription drugs and supplements, along with doses and the reasons each was started, if known. Patients can ask whether each item is still appropriate and what to do if they have concerns about a side effect.
Any proposed adjustment should be discussed with a qualified health professional, who can explain the risks of continuing, changing or stopping a medicine and determine whether follow-up is needed. The report does not announce a new policy or scheduled clinical milestone. Its immediate takeaway is to make medication review part of a conversation with the care team, rather than assume an old prescription remains necessary or discontinue it without guidance.
pharmacist consultation for medication review
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What was Paula Span’s main message?
Span urged older adults and caregivers to ask a doctor or pharmacist to review whether the medicines a person takes are still appropriate. She said prescriptions can remain part of a routine even when evidence or circumstances change.
Did the report say older adults should stop taking aspirin or benzodiazepines?
No. The report discussed these medicines as examples in a conversation about possible overuse. It did not recommend that every older adult stop either medicine or make changes without advice from a clinician.
What did the physician say about taking six or seven prescriptions?
Geriatrician K. Eric De Jonge said that at six or seven prescription medicines, a person has a “nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance.” The supplied report does not explain the estimate’s methodology, and it should not be read as an individual prediction.
What should patients bring to a medication review?
Patients can bring a current list of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and supplements, including doses and reasons for use when known. They can ask whether each remains suitable and discuss any symptoms or concerns with a health professional.
Should a patient stop a medicine if they suspect a side effect?
The report does not advise stopping medicines without consultation. Patients should contact a qualified health professional to discuss symptoms and determine whether a change is appropriate for their circumstances.
Source: rss
Cold & flu season Picks
humidifiers
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
