The use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication. Since in the United States most drugs are dispensed as single-agent formulations, polypharmacy, though using many drugs administered to the same patient, must be differentiated from DRUG COMBINATIONS, single preparations containing two or more drugs as a fixed dose, and from DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION, two or more drugs administered separately for a combined effect. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)

Annotation

note category: do not confuse with POLYPHARMACOLOGY, the design or use of drugs acting on multiple targets or pathways or with PHARMACOLOGY, the discipline or with DRUG COMBINATIONS or with POLYCHEMOTHERAPY see DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION

DUI

D019338 MeSH Browser

CUI

M0028787

History note

1997; for OVERMEDICATION use MEDICAL OVERUSE 2016-2021

Public note

1997; for OVERMEDICATION see MEDICAL OVERUSE 2016-2021