Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment

Polypharmacy

The use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication. Since in the United States most drugs are dispensed as single-agent formulations, polypharmacy, though using many drugs administered to the same patient, must be differentiated from DRUG COMBINATIONS, single preparations containing two or more drugs as a fixed dose, and from DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION, two or more drugs administered separately for a combined effect. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The use of multiple drugs administered to the same patient, most commonly seen in elderly patients. It includes also the administration of excessive medication. Since in the United States most drugs are dispensed as single-agent formulations, polypharmacy, though using many drugs administered to the same patient, must be differentiated from DRUG COMBINATIONS, single preparations containing two or more drugs as a fixed dose, and from DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION, two or more drugs administered separately for a combined effect. (From Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)

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Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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See Also

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Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Polymedication

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Aspects Covered

6 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings economics, history, legislation & jurisprudence, prevention & control, statistics & numerical data, trends.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

note category: do not confuse with POLYPHARMACOLOGY, the design or use of drugs acting on multiple targets or pathways or with PHARMACOLOGY, the discipline or with DRUG COMBINATIONS or with POLYCHEMOTHERAPY see DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION

MeSH Record

History Note

1997; for OVERMEDICATION use MEDICAL OVERUSE 2016-2021

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. E02w.319w.698w
  2. N02.421.380.450.188.500w
  3. N05.300w.150.395.450.188.500w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Polypharmacy. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D019338. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D019338
  2. Polypharmacy. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypharmacy
  3. Polypharmacy. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1895998