Journal of the Indian Academy of Geriatrics (Jan 2024)

Prescribing Cascade Complicating a Geriatric Patient

  • Shambo Samrat Samajdar,
  • Shatavisa Mukherjee,
  • Sougata Sarkar,
  • Nandini Chatterjee,
  • Mrinal K Roy,
  • Jyotirmoy Pal,
  • Santanu K Tripathi,
  • Shashank R Joshi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/jiag.jiag_58_23
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 1
pp. 40 – 42

Abstract

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Prescribing cascades entail misinterpreting drug-related adverse events as new medical problems, resulting in unnecessary prescriptions and potential harm, especially in the elderly, leading to adverse outcomes like falls, cognitive defects, and increased health-care costs. For geriatric patients with complex medical histories, the intricacies of symptom differentiation and polypharmacy poses further challenges. This report focuses on managing a geriatric patient with multiple conditions, highlighting the risks and complexities of prescribing cascades.

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