RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Polypharmacy: A Case Report and New Protocol for Management
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Practice
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 140
OP 144
DO 10.3122/15572625-11-2-140
VO 11
IS 2
A1 Lee, R. David
YR 1998
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/11/2/140.abstract
AB Background: Polypharmacy is an important issue in primary care, yet few data are available concerning its prevalence, complications, and management in clinical medicine. The following case illustrates the clinical perils of polypharmacy and serves as a point for critical discussion. Methods: MEDLINE was searched, using the key word “polypharmacy” from 1994 to the present. A case report of polypharmacy is described, and a novel protocol for the management of polypharmacy is proposed. Results: Polypharmacy can lead to unnecessary expense, wasted time, and embarrassment on the part of the patient and confusion and mismanagement on the part of the physician. The literature reveals controversy surrounding the definition of polypharmacy and reflects the considerable morbidity and expense associated with polypharmacy. Finally, the SAIL protocol shows that physicians need to keep in mind simplicity, adverse effects, indications, and a precise list of all medications to manage appropriately a patient's drug regimen. Conclusions: Polypharmacy is associated with morbidity and iatrogenic complications. The SAIL protocol can be a useful tool in the management of this entity. More research needs to be done on the prevalence, complications, and management of polypharmacy.