Pete and Nick are joined by geriatric registrars Emma and Chris. In this COTEcast we are tackling the issues around polypharmacy in the elderly. We discuss why it is a problem and how to manage it. We also offer some tips for junior doctors who are starting new jobs soon on how to approach a patient with polypharmacy.

Links:

STOPP/START tool:

https://www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/nhs-cumbria-ccg/medicines-management/guidelines-and-other-publications/Stop%20start%20pdf%20final%20Feb%202013%20version.pdf

Deprescribing Canadian initiative:

http://deprescribing.org/resources/deprescribing-guidelines-algorithms/

Anticholinergic burden score calculator:

http://www.agingbraincare.org/uploads/products/ACB_scale_-_legal_size.pdf