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A KFF Health News report, discussed on WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30, urges older adults and caregivers to review medication lists with a doctor or pharmacist. The report describes concerns about side effects as prescriptions accumulate and notes that evidence and a patient’s needs can change; it does not establish that a particular number of medicines will cause harm in every patient.
A KFF Health News report discussed on WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30 urged older adults and caregivers to review prescription lists with clinicians, as medicines accumulated over time may no longer be needed or may contribute to side effects and intolerance. The report emphasizes that patients should ask whether each medication remains appropriate rather than assume an established prescription is still necessary.
Paula Span, who writes The New York Times and KFF Health News column “The New Old Age,” joined the radio program to discuss commonly used medicines, including aspirin and benzodiazepines, that some older patients may be overusing. The report presents medication review as a practical check for patients and caregivers, not as advice to stop a drug without medical guidance.
K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said the likelihood of some kind of side effect or intolerance rises among people taking several prescription medicines. He told KFF Health News that once a patient takes six or seven prescription medications, there is a “nearly 100% chance” of some sort of side effect or intolerance. The report does not provide the study details or specify how that estimate was calculated.
Span said prescriptions may remain in place because patients fall into routines and clinicians may not be aware of newer research. She advised patients and caregivers to be proactive and check with a doctor or pharmacist about whether the medicines being taken are still right for the person’s needs.
Why Medication Reviews Matter
For older adults taking multiple prescriptions, a review can help bring the full medication list into one conversation. The report’s concern is that medicines can accumulate over time, while a prescription’s original purpose or the evidence supporting its use may change. A clinician can assess whether the expected benefit still fits the patient’s circumstances and whether medicines may be contributing to unwanted effects.
The message also gives caregivers a concrete role: help keep an up-to-date list and raise questions during appointments. That does not mean patients should stop or change treatment on their own. Medication changes need to be discussed with a qualified clinician, who can consider the reason for each prescription and the risks of altering it.
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How Prescriptions Can Accumulate
The KFF Health News report describes a gradual process rather than one new prescribing rule: a medicine may be started for a particular need, then continue as a patient’s health changes or new evidence emerges. Meanwhile, other prescriptions may be added. The resulting list can become difficult for patients, caregivers and clinicians to track without a deliberate review.
Span’s discussion covered common medicines, including aspirin and benzodiazepines, and the report points to changing medical evidence as one reason to revisit treatment. It does not say that these medicines are inappropriate for everyone. The question is whether a particular medicine remains suitable for a particular patient, given their current health and other medications.
““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
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What the Report Does Not Establish
The source does not identify a specific new study, guideline, or policy change behind the report. It also gives no details about the evidence supporting De Jonge’s estimate for people taking six or seven prescriptions, including the population studied or the definition of side effect or intolerance. That figure should not be read as proof that every person taking that number of medicines will experience an adverse effect.
The report does not name particular patients or provide an individual treatment plan. It also does not suggest that aspirin, benzodiazepines, or any other medicine should be stopped by all older adults. Whether a prescription remains appropriate depends on the individual, and the source does not quantify how often medication reviews lead to changes or reduce harm.
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Questions to Raise at the Next Visit
The report offers no announced follow-up study or formal next milestone. For patients and caregivers, the next step it recommends is to bring a current medication list to a doctor or pharmacist and ask whether each item is still needed and appropriate. Include prescription drugs and tell the clinician about any other medicines or products being used so they can review the full picture.
Any decision to stop, change or reduce a medicine should be made with a clinician rather than independently. A future review may consider the reason for each prescription, current evidence, possible side effects and how medicines interact. The source does not specify a standard review schedule, so patients can ask their care team when another check is appropriate.
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Key Questions
What is the main advice in the report?
Ask a doctor or pharmacist to review your medication list and confirm whether each prescription is still appropriate. Do not stop or change a medicine without medical guidance.
Does taking six or seven prescriptions mean someone will have a side effect?
No. K. Eric De Jonge told KFF Health News that people taking six or seven prescription medicines have a “nearly 100% chance” of some side effect or intolerance, but the report provides no details about the estimate. It is not a guarantee about an individual patient.
Should older adults stop taking aspirin or benzodiazepines?
The report does not advise everyone to stop either medicine. It says these are among the medicines Span discussed and encourages patients to ask a clinician whether their own prescriptions remain suitable.
Who can help review a medication list?
A doctor or pharmacist can discuss the medicines a patient takes and whether each remains appropriate. Caregivers can help prepare an up-to-date list and raise questions, with the patient’s involvement where possible.
Source: rss
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