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Polypharmacy and nutritional status in elderly people
Johanna Jyrkkä1, Jaakko Mursu, Hannes Enlund
1Finnish Medicines Agency, Kuopio, Finland. johanna.jyrkka@fimea.fi
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|November 24, 2011
Summary
Polypharmacy, the use of multiple drugs, may negatively impact elderly nutrition, potentially causing malnutrition. More research is needed to clarify this association and guide comprehensive geriatric care.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Polypharmacy is increasing in the elderly population.
- Concerns exist regarding negative health outcomes, including malnutrition.
- Evidence linking polypharmacy and nutritional status is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing evidence on the association between polypharmacy and nutritional status in older adults.
- To summarize findings on how multiple medications may affect nutrition in the elderly.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of relevant literature.
- Synthesis of evidence from published studies on polypharmacy and nutritional status in the elderly.
Main Results:
- Polypharmacy may increase the risk of nutritional problems, especially in those with multiple diseases.
- Drugs can impair nutritional status by reducing appetite, causing GI issues, and altering body functions.
- Studies suggest links between higher drug counts and malnutrition, weight changes, and specific nutrient deficiencies.
Conclusions:
- The independent role of polypharmacy in elderly malnutrition remains unclear.
- Underlying diseases complicate the determination of drugs' direct impact on nutrition.
- Further longitudinal studies are necessary; nutritional assessment should be part of geriatric care.
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