DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
Simultaneous intake of 5 or more prescription or non-prescription drugs. Polypharmacy is often associated with multimorbidity. It is facilitated by inaccurate indications, inadequate medication planning and insufficient consultation between the parties involved: patients/relatives/physicians/pharmacists. The frequency of polypharmacy is increasing worldwide, even in emerging and developing countries. This is partly due to increasing life expectancy and partly due to the increasing number of people who have access to medicines.
Another definition of polypharmacy is: the prescription of more drugs than clinically indicated and/or a regimen with at least one unnecessary drug.
