Taking more than 10 medications at once... mortality rate rises up to 72%

If you take more than 10 medications for over six months

Since the medications interfere with each other, not only does their effectiveness decrease, but the number of side effects also significantly increases.

There are many medications that are not good to take together, so many people take their medications at different times of the day.

Always consult with your hospital doctor before taking any medication.

Especially for elderly individuals who need to take more than 10 medications for a long-term period of over six months...

You must be very careful.

Please make sure to consult with your doctor at the hospital you are visiting regarding this.

I also need to make sure to tell the adults~

 

Taking more than 10 medications at once... mortality rate rises up to 72%

As society ages, the number of patients taking multiple medications over a long period is increasing every year.

There are unavoidable cases for treatment, but the issue is the risk of side effects.

Mr. Kim, in his 70s, who had been visiting a local clinic due to high blood pressure, recently transferred to a larger hospital for a detailed heart examination.

[Patient in their 70s: They only give a month's worth of medication in the neighborhood, but when I went to ○○○ Hospital, they gave me a four-month supply.]

As society ages, the number of cases where medications are prescribed for long-term use of 'more than 180 days' has increased by as many as 2 million over the past five years.

There are more patients taking large amounts of medication for a long time.

As of the first half of last year, there were 1,288,000 long-term medication patients taking more than 10 doses per prescription.

Looking at the same period, it increased by 53% over five years.

This is the actual prescription record of a patient in their 70s.

Looking at the medications, it seems you are suffering from hypertension, arthritis, liver disease, etc., and you are taking as many as 19 medications at once.

Taking more than 10 medications for over six months can lead to drug interactions, reducing their effectiveness and significantly increasing the risk of side effects.

Professor Lee Sang-gil of the Gastroenterology Department at Severance Hospital: (When taking multiple medications) it is quite common for gastrointestinal toxicity to cause bleeding or pain related to the stomach.

According to a 2018 study by the National Health Insurance Service, long-term use of more than 10 medications increased patient mortality by 37%, even if each medication was appropriately prescribed, and when inappropriate medications were added, the mortality rate soared to 72%.

The government has introduced a smartphone app called 'Medication Safety Service' that systematically advises on medication use to reduce the risks of long-term and overdose, but accessibility is an issue.

Assembly Member Kim Sun-min / Jo Kuk Innovation Party (Health and Welfare Committee): (The elderly) have very low technical accessibility to download apps or verify consent forms within them, so institutional improvements are necessary.

More than 10, long-term, elderly.

If all three apply, it is necessary to consult a specialist to improve the dosage method.

<Source: SBS News>