The risk of death for older adults taking multiple prescription medications is significantly higher compared to those taking fewer drugs, according to a recent study published in a leading medical journal.
Researchers analyzed national survey data collected from 7,828 adults aged 65 and older between 1999 and 2016. Trained staff directly inspected participants' pill bottles to verify medication use over the previous 30 days, then followed them for an average of 8.5 years.
The study highlights the growing concern over polypharmacy, the medical term for taking five or more daily prescriptions, and its long-term effects on aging populations. Over half of participants (54.3%) fell into at least one high-risk medication category, with the largest group consisting of older adults taking five or more prescription drugs.
The findings suggest that taking five or more prescriptions was associated with a 38% increase in overall mortality risk, and each additional prescription medication added to a patient’s routine was linked to a 7% increase in death risk. The total number of medications participants took was the strongest independent predictor of mortality, even after accounting for drug-to-drug interactions and potentially inappropriate prescriptions.
The researchers note that these findings could help doctors determine which patients are the best candidates for "deprescribing," or carefully reducing or stopping unnecessary medications. However, experts emphasized that observational studies show association rather than direct causation, and older adults taking higher numbers of prescriptions often suffer from multiple severe or complex health conditions, which independently carry a higher mortality risk.
The study also has several limitations, including that it focused strictly on community-dwelling older adults, excluding those living in nursing homes or assisted care facilities. Additionally, medication use was documented during a single 30-day snapshot at the start of the study, meaning researchers could not track subsequent changes in prescriptions or evolving health conditions over time.
