Patient Safety | 01.20.23
Survey: Most Adults Willing to Stop Medications If OK'd by Doctors
by Pharmacy Practice News
A recent University at Buffalo (UB) School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences survey found older adults would discontinue their medications at their doctor's say-so. About 91.3 percent of 406 respondents 65 years of age and older, when presented with a video about medication deprescribing and related polls, said they would be willing to stop taking a regular medication if their doctor asked them to do so. Meanwhile, 98.7 percent said they had good knowledge of their medications, and 64.1 percent wished to reduce the number of drugs they take. Most respondents felt all of their medications are necessary, but acknowledged that they become stressed when changes are made to their regimens. “Pharmacists and physicians know when and how to stop medications, but it can be a challenge to get the patient to be willing to do so,” explained UB Professor Robert Wahler. “One of the things we wanted to do is educate patients and their caregivers with a video so they might be more likely to accept deprescribing.”
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