Medications can snowball as we age. Pill organizers pile up. Prescriptions that are no longer necessary can mix with other drugs to create concerning side effects.
“Once you get to six or seven prescription medications, you get a nearly 100% chance of some sort of side effect or intolerance,” said physician K. Eric De Jonge, director of geriatrics at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Paula Span writes “The New Old Age” column for The New York Times and KFF Health News. She joined WAMU’s Health Hub on Sept. 30 to talk about common medications — from aspirin to benzodiazepines — that some older patients are overusing…