polypharmacy
noun
poly·phar·ma·cy
ˌpä-li-ˈfär-mə-sē 
: the practice of administering many different medicines especially concurrently for the treatment of a single disease
also
: the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient to treat usually coexisting conditions and which may result in adverse drug interactions
Examples of polypharmacy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Another larger issue is polypharmacy, which is the regular use of 5 or more medications at the same time.
—
Sophie Okolo, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
While polypharmacy is most common in older people, younger adults and even children, particularly those with complicated chronic conditions like epilepsy, learning disorders or mental health issues, can also end up on many medications.
—Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2024
But taking many medicines simultaneously, known among medical experts as polypharmacy, increases people’s risk of experiencing severe side effects and drug interactions, said Dr. Nina Blachman, an associate professor of medicine and geriatrics at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.
—Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2024
The path toward polypharmacy often starts with drugs that are used to treat A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Similarly, the use of dimensions as key secondary end points in many different diagnostic categories may lead to pseudospecific indications and polypharmacy.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2012
That practice, called polypharmacy, can increase the likelihood of harmful side effects, the suit said.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2023
Instances of polypharmacy do not always begin with a diagnosis of A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Moreover, if available antidepressants were magic bullets, then polypharmacy would not be so common.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2011
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Sophie Okolo, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
While polypharmacy is most common in older people, younger adults and even children, particularly those with complicated chronic conditions like epilepsy, learning disorders or mental health issues, can also end up on many medications.
—Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2024
But taking many medicines simultaneously, known among medical experts as polypharmacy, increases people’s risk of experiencing severe side effects and drug interactions, said Dr. Nina Blachman, an associate professor of medicine and geriatrics at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.
—Knvul Sheikh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2024
The path toward polypharmacy often starts with drugs that are used to treat A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Similarly, the use of dimensions as key secondary end points in many different diagnostic categories may lead to pseudospecific indications and polypharmacy.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2012
That practice, called polypharmacy, can increase the likelihood of harmful side effects, the suit said.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2023
Instances of polypharmacy do not always begin with a diagnosis of A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Moreover, if available antidepressants were magic bullets, then polypharmacy would not be so common.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2011
Dictionary Entries Near polypharmacy
Cite this Entry
“Polypharmacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polypharmacy. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
polypharmacy
noun
poly·phar·ma·cy
-ˈfär-mə-sē
plural polypharmacies
: the practice of administering many different medicines especially concurrently for the treatment of the same disease
also
: the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient to treat usually coexisting conditions and which may result in adverse drug interactions
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