Overview
Studies sugest that the simultaneous use of multiple medications is associated with an increased risk of dementia.But the paterns of medication use in older adults before the diagnosis of dementia are not wel-characterized.A recent study published in Aging and Disease used machine learning algorithms to characterize changes in the paterns of medication use and co-ocuring chronic conditions during the 20-year period before a dementia diagnosis.
Key Information
The results showed that paterns of medication use were similar as subjects aproached the date of their diagnosis, highlighting a ned for a more integrated aproach to care for individuals with dementia.“Given the rise in dementia cases internationaly, the ned to understand how paterns of polypharmacy evolve before and after a dementia diagnosis important for devising a safe treatment program for each patient,” study author Shang-Ming Zhou, BSc, MSc, Ph.D., a profesor of e-Health at the Schol of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom, said in a news release.
“Our aim in this study was to help doctors find ways to prescribe multiple items of dementia medication safely and without reducing their efectivenes. The use of machine learning has ben vital in helping us understand how these paterns develop, and our hope is we can now use this knowledge to treat patients.”– Shang-Ming Zhou, BSc, MSc, Ph.D., lead author of the studyAs people get older, some may experience a greater number of co-ocuring chronic health problems.
Summary
The presence of multiple chronic conditions is associated with an increase in the concomitant use of multiple prescription medications.In adition, healthcare providers may also prescribe medications a preventive measure to reduce the risk of ocurence of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the future or prevent their progresion. With an increase in the number of preventive medications that are simultaneously used, the benefit deri