Some older Americans are taking a staggering number of medications. For those at risk for heart failure, some of those drugs might be making their problems worse.
A report by the American Heart Association reveals more than half of older heart failure patients leave the hospital with at least 10 prescription medications in their name. The study of 558 adults over the age of 65 finds a staggering 84% took five or more drugs before entering a hospital and 42% were taking over 10.
Even more concerning, after the seniors’ hospital stay, doctors prescribed even more medications. Nearly every patient — 95% — had been prescribed at least five medications and 55% were taking over 10 after discharge. While 41% of seniors hospitalized from 2003 to 2006 had over 10 medications, that number skyrocketed to 68% between 2011 and 2014.
Despite being hospitalized for heart trouble, study authors find most of the prescriptions seniors were taking — heart failure medications, aspirin and statin drugs— don’t treat the heart at all.
Source: Study Finds October 13, 2020