Literature Review: Polypharmacotherapy and Its Neurological Effects in the Elderly in Poland and Europe

In recent years both in Poland and Europe there have been observed progressive demographic changes and aging of the population. Polypharmacy can be defined as the simultaneous and regular use of at least five different drugs and is particularly often used in elderly patients due to the multimorbidity. According to some sources, elderly people take between two and nine different medications daily, of which even about 60% are inappropriate. The aim of this paper is to summarize information on polypharmacy in seniors in order to plan it as best as possible and at the same time to avoid potential adverse effects, with particular emphasis on the nervous system. One of the most significant for polypharmacy is the age structure of the society. Poland is one of the European countries where the fastest growth of this ratio is observed. Huge problem seems to be the system of educating doctors, which is not adjusted to the changing demographics of the society. Furthermore, one of the factors contributing to polypharmacy is the excessive consumption of dietary supplements by Poles, especially geriatric patients - almost half of Poles consume them regularly. Polypharmacy can be defined as the simultaneous use of at least five different drugs. It is particularly often used in elderly patients due to the multimorbidity and lack of healthcare access. The advantage of polypharmacotherapy is faster achievement of target values, which may improve the patient-doctor relationship, while the disadvantage is the increased risk of side effects. Polypharmacy is a significant problem in the European elderly, to avoid its negative effects, drugs with high bioavailability, short half-lives and a broad therapeutic spectrum are the best choice.