As the Baby Boomers age they will add 77 million people to this age group, meaning that nearly one in five people in the U.S. will be aged over 65. Polypharmacy problems can occur for many reasons Medication problems are not just caused by interactions between drugs, but by problems that can occur before the patient even takes a drug.
Most older adults are on some prescription medicines.
Many also take over the counter preparations such as herbs or vitamins, often because a relative suggests them. For more information on OTC preparations look at our section called Herbs, Vitamins and other OTC products . Other problems may be caused by the strategies that older people use to lower costs, perhaps only taking medications when they are in pain, or taking half the prescribed amount, or just not filling all of their prescriptions. Some older adults also drink alcohol or smoke regularly. Any or all of these factors could combine to cause problems.