Time to complete: Approximately 30 minutes
About This Course
Older people often take many medications. Some of these medications may be unnecessary or may cause more harm than good. Optimizing medication through targeted deprescribing is a vital part of managing chronic conditions, avoiding adverse effects, and improving wellbeing. The goal of deprescribing is to ensure people are taking only the medications that are a good fit for them.
This course will help improve your understanding of polypharmacy and provide you with an approach for deprescribing.
You will learn how polypharmacy develops over time, as well as how to recognize and address common drug-induced symptoms and prescribing cascades. Throughout the module you will apply an approach for deprescribing to a fictional case.
Audience
Health care professionals who are involved in prescribing, dispensing and monitoring the effects of medications.
Acknowledgements
The Polypharmacy and Deprescribing eLearning course was developed by subject matter experts:
Barbara Farrell, BScPhm, PharmD, FCSHP, Pharmacist, Bruyère Geriatric Day Hospital, Scientist, Bruyère Research Institute, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
Wade Thompson, PharmD, MSc, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia
