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recommendation that deserves notice, and that is to avoid "poly-pharmacy." "Poly" means "many" or "excessive," and pharmacy refers to medications and pills.
• Avoiding poly-pharmacy is like the old adage, "Too many spices spoil the soup." Along with the science that brings more effective medicine is the reality that sometimes taking too many medicines can cause problems. Multiple medicines mixed together may work differently than expected, compared to when used alone. Also, as the numbers of pills increase, side effects can multiply, costs can skyrocket, and people can get confused and make errors. All this goes double for the elderly. It is no wonder that experts in geriatrics are emphasizing the value of avoiding poly-pharmacy.
• Poly-pharmacy happens because the patient expects the doctor to prescribe another pill; because the clinician is influenced by the patient's wishes; because the doctor is trying to help the patient; or because certain protocols demand adding more medicines. And then there are all those herbal supplements. You know, some (Continued on page 9)
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