Insomnia is a sneaky condition that can lead to polypharmacy. Many of the medications used in the management of insomnia can work for a short period of time, but I’ve seen so many cases where the effects wear off over time. Always remember to do our due...
In geriatrics, deprescribing has become a very popular term. Deprescribing is simply reducing a patient’s medication burden by reducing and discontinuing medications. This is often done as the potential long term benefits of medication dwindle as a...
In this polypharmacy case study, I pick out some medications that we may be able to discontinue. An 88-year-old male is looking to reduce his medication burden. Current medications include: Aspirin 81 mg dailyFurosemide 10 mg dailyKCL 10 meq dailyOmeprazole 20 mg...
An 81-year-old patient is complaining of cramps in his legs which are particularly bothersome at night. He also states that he gets a creepy/crawly sensation in both of his legs. He was initiated on ropinirole 0.5 mg at bedtime with a diagnosis of restless legs. After...
A 71-year-old male with a history of BPH had developed a head cold. His current medications include finasteride and tamsulosin. He tried some loratadine for a day or two for his rhinitis which he decided did not help. At this point, he was already getting a little...
In long term care consulting, learning how to review and interpret medical records is an absolute must. It can also be incredibly helpful in other settings such as ambulatory care, community, assisted living, and hospital pharmacy. I’ve got three examples for...
