Integrated management of multiple drugs for cardiovascular disease in older adults

Kim, Seok-Yeon

doi:2024.67.7.467

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 67(7); 2024 > Article

Focused Issue of This Month

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2024;67(7):467-474.
Published online July 10, 2024.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2024.67.7.467

Integrated management of multiple drugs for cardiovascular disease in older adults

Seok-Yeon Kim

Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

노인 심혈관질환의 다약제 포괄관리

김석연

서울의료원 내과

Correspondence: Seok-Yeon Kim,
Email: ks7688@seoulmc.or.kr

Received: 8 April 2024 • Accepted: 11 June 2024

Abstract

Background: Older people have a high frequency of use of medical institutions due to their multiple comorbidities, which increases the frequency of drug-related problems or adverse drug reactions, such as duplicate prescriptions and inappropriate drug use. Polypharmacy in older people increases the risk of side effects and drug-drug interactions, thereby affecting health outcomes and quality of life. Because most elderly person with cardiovascular disease are already taking multiple drugs, the risk is inevitably high. Therefore, there is a need to develop strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of multidrug therapy in older adults with cardiovascular diseases.
Current Concepts: We reviewed the latest relevant guidelines and literature in order to provide practical considerations for appropriate prescriptions for older people with cardiovascular disease, balancing unnecessary or harmful drugs with proven long-term benefits.
Discussion and Conclusion: Continuous dialogue between healthcare providers and patients allows the close monitoring of drug efficacy and the prevention of adverse events. Drug therapy requires individualization as treatment goals vary with advancing age.

Key Words: Polypharmacy, Cardiovascular diseases, Primary prevention, Secondary prevention