Key result
Chronic-use drugs trigger most prescribing cascades, involving 84 distinct adverse drug reactions.
Why the study?
Prescribing cascades are an underrecognized driver of inappropriate polypharmacy, especially in older adults, but current evidence is largely retrospective and heterogeneous.
Systematic Review
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May warrant vigilance for prescribing cascades to curb inappropriate polypharmacy; reinforces their role as driver and extends need for standardized definitions plus prevention strategies.
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Carollo et al. (2026) conducted a systematic review in Prescribing cascades and adverse drug reactions. Chronic-use medications (e.g., antipsychotics, anxiolytics, lipid-modifying agents, antihypertensives) was evaluated on Identification of medications and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) involved in prescribing cascades. Chronic-use drugs were the most common triggers for prescribing cascades, with 84 different adverse drug reactions identified across 165 primary studies.
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