Polypharmacy in an Elderly Individual
Mrs. K is an 82-year-old woman living in a rural village with her family. She presents to the local clinic with complaints of dizziness, frequent falls, and fatigue. Over the years, she has been diagnosed with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and chronic heart failure.
Her medication regimen includes:
Amlodipine 5 mg for hypertension
Metformin 500 mg twice daily for diabetes
Furosemide 40 mg for heart failure
Paracetamol 500 mg as needed for osteoarthritis pain
Glyburide 2.5 mg for blood sugar control
Recently, her family added a traditional herbal remedy for joint pain, which she has been taking daily. Mrs. K reports that her symptoms have worsened over the past few weeks, and she has experienced increased confusion and difficulty maintaining her balance.
Upon review, it is found that Mrs. K is suffering from polypharmacy, where drug interactions, particularly between her antihypertensive, diuretic, and hypoglycaemic medications, have contributed to her symptoms of dizziness and falls. Furthermore, the addition of the herbal remedy may be complicating her health further by interacting with her prescribed medications. The clinician recognizes the need to reassess her medication regimen to minimize adverse effects while maintaining control of her chronic conditions.
A). Anaemia
B). Dehydration
C). Polypharmacy and drug interactions
D). Stroke
A). Paracetamol
B). Amlodipine
C). Metformin
D). Herbal remedy
A). Use of over-the-counter medications only
B). Polypharmacy and age-related changes in drug metabolism
C). Living in a rural area
D). Use of only traditional medicine
A). Increase the dose of her diuretic
B). Stop all medications
C). Reassess her medications to reduce unnecessary prescriptions and monitor for drug interactions
D). Prescribe additional medications to control her symptoms
