Doctors at UCSF are sounding the alarm about how many pills elderly people take on a regular basis.
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A study of patients with dementia found that on an average, a senior could be taking up to eight pills a day. However, Dr. Matthew Growdon, Geriatrician at UCSF, told KCBS Radio's "As Prescribed" all that medication might not be necessary.
Of more than 400 seniors, 90% said they would be willing to stop taking at least one pill — if their doctor said it was possible.
"As doctors, we prescribe medications with the hope that they're going to help our patients achieve better health," Growdon said. "However, in older adults in general, and especially in older adults with cognitive impairment, that balance can sometimes start to tip."
A complex medical regiment can lead to what Growdon calls a "drug-drug interaction." "The confluence of taking so many medications can lead to other adverse events. Things like falls, cognitive impairment getting worse, sometimes going to the hospital," he explained.
For people who may want to take a more holistic look, the UCSF doctor advised against suddenly going off any medication and strongly encouraged that patients first talk to their physician.
"If there are medications that are decided in the conversations with your physician that are raising your risk of a fall, for example, it really is best to talk to them about it, not to come off of it cold turkey," he said.
As a result of the study, Growdon hopes patients will feel more empowered moving forward to ask questions about the necessity of a prescription and the potential side effects. "I hope people will feel empowered to turn to their physicians and say 'hey I want to look at my medications. Do you think these are helping me?'" he said.
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