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Polypharmacy and Cardiovascular Diseases: Consideration for Older Adults and Women

  • Women and Ischemic Heart Disease (J.M. Peña and F. Lin, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

The intent of this review is to provide an update in polypharmacy in older adults and women with a focus on common determinants and strategies to mitigate polypharmacy.

Recent Findings

Polypharmacy is becoming a critical focus in the management of cardiovascular diseases. It may emerge unintentionally while managing multimorbidity in older adults or in the vulnerable subgroup of patients, such as pregnant and lactating females. Clinicians should utilize several approaches such as deprescribing, sex-specific risk assessment, and encouraging healthy lifestyle to minimize inappropriate and unnecessary use of medications.

Summary

A shared decision-making model along with coordination and collaboration among healthcare providers should be utilized in the selection and management of pharmacotherapies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Fairleigh Dickinson University – School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 230 Park Avenue, Florham Park, NJ, 07932, USA

    Shreya Patel

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center, UConn Health, CT, Farmington, USA

    Manish Kumar

  3. University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, KY, USA

    Craig J. Beavers

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA, USA

    Saad Karamat

  5. Duke Department of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA

    Fawaz Alenezi

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  1. Shreya Patel
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  2. Manish Kumar
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  3. Craig J. Beavers
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Correspondence to Shreya Patel.

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Shreya Patel reports payment for ACCP PSAP Chapter Author.

Craig J. Beavers reports payment for ACCP PSAP Faculty Chair.

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Patel, S., Kumar, M., Beavers, C.J. et al. Polypharmacy and Cardiovascular Diseases: Consideration for Older Adults and Women. Curr Atheroscler Rep 24, 813–820 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-022-01055-1

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