STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- The number of prescriptions taken by seniors doubled from 1988 to 2010, contributing to a higher incidence of functional limitations
- The use of multiple medications increases the risk of adverse events and drug interactions that lead to permanent damage or death
- Side effects from one drug often lead to the prescription of another to reduce symptoms, known as a “prescribing cascade”
- The number of seniors prescribed antidepressants from 1991 to 2011 has more than doubled, while only 14.3% met the DSM-4 criteria for depression; the prevalence of symptoms and disorders has not decreased with more medicine
- A focus on reducing inflammation and seeking the root causes of health conditions helps lower dependence on drugs that usually come with a significant list of side effects