Talk:Polypharmacy

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 Definition The use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication. [d] [e]
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 Workgroup category Health Sciences [Categories OK]
 Talk Archive none  English language variant British English

Is the definition neutral, even though authoritative?

Unquestionably, the use of multiple drugs, without careful management, can be dangerous. It concerns me, however, that the lead rather assumes this is bad medicine.

Simply speaking personally, it takes carefully planned drug combinations to manage several of my chronic diseases, but my list of drugs pales with what might be needed to turn AIDS into a manageable chronic disease.

I have worked in expert systems for prescribing, and, believe me, I know of the challenges of primary care clinicians that eventually ask patients to bring in a paper bag containing every drug, prescription and OTC, and perhaps "supplements".

Shall we discuss and plan a collaboration? Howard C. Berkowitz 15:28, 16 March 2011 (UTC)