Polypharmacy for junior doctors

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