Polypharmacy, or the use of multiple medications, is common in older adults. While 89 percent of people aged 65 and older take at least one prescription medication, 54 percent take four or more. Data from Merck similarly found that nearly 80 percent of older adults regularly take at least two prescription drugs, while 36 percent regularly use five or more different drugs—and this doesn’t include over-the-counter medications. Adverse effects from polypharmacy are common and may drive patients to seek out ever-more drugs to treat the side effects caused by their drug regimen. This can create a vicious cycle that’s perpetuated...