[Deprescribing: an essential part of rational pharmacotherapy]

Deprescribing is a planned, systematic process supervised by a healthcare professional. It is considered to be a fundamental part of good prescribing. Deprescribing can be defined as the complete withdrawal of medications as well as dose reduction. The patient's health status, life expectancy, values, preferences and the therapeutic goals should be given serious consideration while planning the deprescribing process. The main objective of deprescribing may vary but reaching the patients' goals and improving their quality of life remain constant priorities. In our article, based on the international literature, we review potential deprescribing targets such as the characteristics of high-risk patients, medications that should prompt a therapy review and the ideal settings for deprescribing. We also cover the steps, risks and benefits of the process, and discuss the existing specific guidelines and algorithms. We provide information on the enablers and barriers of deprescribing among both patients and healthcare professionals, and discuss international initiatives as well as the future of deprescribing. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(24): 931-941.