Key result
Polypharmacy in older cancer patients is linked to adverse outcomes including falls, hospitalization, and mortality.
Why the study?
Does polypharmacy affect health outcomes in older adults with cancer?
Does polypharmacy affect health outcomes in older adults with cancer?
Polypharmacy in older adults with cancer is associated with adverse health outcomes such as adverse drug events, falls, and mortality.
Polypharmacy may compromise cancer therapy in older adults; leaves open the impact of targeted deprescribing on outcomes.
Polypharmacy is prevalent in older adults with cancer and may be advantageous for the management of certain chronic disease states, but uncertainty exists regarding potential hazards and consequences. Cancer-related therapy adds to the prevalence of polypharmacy, which can lead to compromised cancer management plans (i.e., postoperative complications, treatment delays, and/or premature treatment discontinuation). Polypharmacy has been identified as one of the domains commonly included in the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment likely because of the potential influence on health outcomes. This review summarizes existing evidence regarding health outcomes associated with polypharmacy in older adults with cancer. Preliminary evidence demonstrated that relationships exist between polypharmacy and health outcomes including adverse drug events, falls, frailty, hospitalization, postoperative complications, and mortality. This research is limited by study confounders, inconsistent definitions for polypharmacy, heterogeneous cancer types and stages, and the complex relationship between medication regimens and outcomes. Additional studies are needed to enhance the accuracy and replicability of this research.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Nightingale et al. (2017) conducted a review in Cancer in older adults. Polypharmacy was evaluated on Health outcomes including adverse drug events, falls, frailty, hospitalization, postoperative complications, and mortality. Polypharmacy in older adults with cancer is associated with adverse health outcomes including adverse drug events, falls, frailty, hospitalization, postoperative complications, and mortality.
Synapse has enriched 4 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: