Polypharmacy in the Elderly | Risks, Assessment, and Optimization

Course overview

This learning activity examines polypharmacy management in elderly patients, focusing on age-related physiological changes, drug interactions, and adverse events that disproportionately affect older adults. Nurses will learn to apply systematic assessment tools including the Beers Criteria and STOPP/START frameworks to identify potentially inappropriate medications and recognize prescribing cascades. The content emphasizes nursing-specific roles in continuous patient monitoring, interdisciplinary collaboration, medication reconciliation, and patient advocacy, while addressing healthcare disparities affecting minority and low-income populations. Through practical examples and case studies, participants develop competencies in deprescribing strategies, fall risk assessment, and patient-centered decision-making that balances clinical guidelines with individual goals and functional capacity.