by Eric Christianson | Sep 30, 2026 | Neurology, Pain, and Musculoskeletal Case Studies
A 76-year-old patient with osteoarthritis is started on nabumetone (podcast) for chronic knee pain. A few weeks later, the patient reports that both legs and ankles are becoming swollen. The edema is attributed to “fluid retention,” and Lasix (furosemide) 20 mg daily...
by Eric Christianson | Sep 27, 2026 | Gastrointestinal Case Studies
A 79-year-old patient with newly diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease is started on Aricept (donepezil) 10 mg once daily. The prescription is written for 10 mg from the beginning rather than starting at 5 mg daily and increasing the dose after the patient has had time to...
by Eric Christianson | Jul 8, 2026 | Polypharmacy Cases And The Prescribing Cascade
Deprescribing requires some effort. I’ve noted a few recent discontinuations and deprescribing opportunities where things have gone right. I’d like to share those examples with you, and hopefully you can use these ideas in your practice. Melatonin...
by Eric Christianson | Jun 24, 2026 | Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine Case Studies
In this case scenario, I demonstrate the venlafaxine prescribing cascade. Mrs. J is a 72-year-old female with depression, chronic pain, and hypertension controlled on lisinopril 20 mg daily. Due to persistent depression and pain symptoms, her venlafaxine XR dose is...
by Eric Christianson | May 6, 2026 | Polypharmacy Cases And The Prescribing Cascade
If I had 60 seconds to review a med list, I wouldn’t try to analyze every detail. That’s the biggest mistake clinicians make when time is limited. Instead, I rely on pattern recognition—quickly scanning for a handful of high-yield problem areas that consistently lead...
