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Table 1 Some sources of patient benefits and harms from polypharmacy

From: Current and future perspectives on the management of polypharmacy

Benefits

Outcome

Improved disease management

Reduced risk of disease complications and mortality

Optimised medicines management

Evidence based prescribing

Harms

Consequences

Increased drug interactions

Electrolyte disturbances; potentiation of drug effects

Increased risk adverse drug outcomes

Patient morbidity and mortality

Inappropriate prescribing and medication errors

Unscheduled contacts with healthcare providers

Lack of monitoring

Safety risks to patients