Frazier gift jumpstarts new project to study drug prescriptions among elderly

Polypharmacy means "many drugs," and in the practice of medicine, it also refers to the myriad problems that can occur when a patient takes more medications than necessary.

The issue is particularly relevant to elderly Americans, who make up 13 percent of the population but account for almost 30 percent of all prescribed drugs, said James O'Brien, M.D., Chair of the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine at UofL.

O'Brien, who is also the Margaret Dorward Smock Endowed Chair in Geriatrics, notes that prescription drugs aren't the only source of potential problems for older adults, since over-the-counter drugs can also cause side effects and potentially dangerous drug interactions. Studies estimate that approximately 30 percent of all over-the-counter medications are purchased by adults aged 65 and older.

Now, thanks to the generosity of Jean Frazier, the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine is taking on the problem of polypharmacy in older adults through a comprehensive educational program aimed at doctors, physician organizations, hospitals, nurses, medical students and residents at the University of Louisville.

A multi-disciplinary advisory committee will work together to create the two-year program that will educate health care providers about drug toxicity in the elderly due to altered metabolism, side effects of common medications, coordination of prescriptions among an individual patient's various health care providers and caregivers, out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs and management of chronic diseases that may lead to multiple drugs being prescribed.

"Many people don't know that older adults are often excluded from drug trials, so many new drugs have not been tested in the elderly," O'Brien said.

"Mrs. Frazier's support of this program in its earliest stages is going to help us bridge the gaps in knowledge about polypharmacy, which is a major threat to the health and safety of older adults. As the program develops, we will seek additional extramural funding to address this important problem."

Frazier's gift will fund creation of the program, an educational conference and "living well" workshops designed to teach patients about the appropriate use of medications. A professional with a pharmacy doctorate will be recruited to assist educational efforts at the School of Medicine and in the community.