Multimorbidity, Polypharmacy and Treatment Burden

Question 1

What is frailty?

Answer 1

A reduction in the body’s in built reserves which is generally due to the cumulative effect of a range of individual deficits

Question 2

Why is frailty important to consider?

Answer 2

Higher risk of a range of adverse health consequences such as hospital admission, disability, loss of independence and death

Question 3

What are some of the challenges of treating patients with multi morbidity?

Answer 3

Difficult to apply EBM
Polypharmacy and increased non-compliance with treatment
Overlap of symptoms
Fragmentation of care

Question 4

What are some of the risks of polypharmacy?

Answer 4

Increases non-compliances
increases risk of adverse drug reactions
Increased risk of problems associated with ages such as cognitive impairment and falls
Increases risk of inappropriate prescribing

Question 5

What factors can affect the capacity of a patient to deal with treatment burden?

Answer 5

Personal attributes and skills
Support network
Life workload
Physical and cognitive abilities
Financial status
Environment