A Troubling Pharmaceutical Cocktail

A Troubling Pharmaceutical Cocktail

A Troubling Pharmaceutical Cocktail Speaker: Dr Dee Mangin According to Dr. Mangin, what is the problem with older adults taking a lot of pills if they need the pills. She says it is “a little bit like music”—what does she mean and how does she illustrate this point? In the scenario of the 70-year-old woman with various health conditions such as diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, etc., the speaker says the most important part of this scenario is what? In Canada, one in ___ people on five or more medicines have a drug side effect that leads to the need for medical care. This is equivalent to ___ jumbo jets full of passengers crashing, killing all on board. What is the vision of the research project? What two examples does she provided as positive observations as a result of their work?

Paper For Above instruction

The presentation by Dr. Dee Mangin addresses the critical issue of polypharmacy among older adults, emphasizing the risks associated with managing multiple medications. The core problem she highlights is that taking numerous medications, even when necessary, can lead to adverse drug reactions and diminish the quality of life. She compares this to a piece of music, suggesting that when medications are appropriately balanced and harmonized, they can produce positive health outcomes; however, when overused or mismanaged, they create chaos, similar to discordant notes in a musical composition. To illustrate this point, Dr. Mangin refers to the chaos that ensues when elderly patients are prescribed multiple drugs without adequate consideration of their interactions and overall health status. This analogy underscores the importance of careful medication management.

In the case of the 70-year-old woman suffering from diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions, Dr. Mangin emphasizes that the most crucial aspect is not merely the proliferation of medications but rather the overall assessment of whether each drug contributes positively to the patient's well-being. She advocates for a patient-centered approach that evaluates the necessity and efficacy of each medication, aiming to reduce unnecessary drug burden and prevent harmful side effects.

Quantitatively, in Canada, one in every five individuals on five or more medications experiences a drug side effect significant enough to require medical intervention. This statistic underscores the widespread nature of these risks and highlights the importance of medication reviews and deprescribing practices.

The vision of the research project championed by Dr. Mangin is to develop safer, more effective medication management strategies for older adults. This involves promoting deprescription when appropriate, educating healthcare providers on medication risks, and fostering shared decision-making with patients. The ultimate goal is to minimize adverse drug reactions and improve health outcomes by ensuring medications are used judiciously.

Two positive outcomes from her research include the implementation of medication review protocols in clinical practice, which have reduced polypharmacy and related side effects, and the development of decision-support tools that aid clinicians in making better prescribing choices. These initiatives demonstrate tangible improvements in patient safety and highlight the potential for systemic change in managing medication use among the elderly.

Overall, Dr. Mangin’s work advocates for a balanced approach to medication management, aligning with principles of deprescribing, patient-centered care, and clinical prudence to enhance the health and safety of older adults.

References

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