Polypharmacy: overdosing on good intentions.

Polypharmacy, the concurrent use of multiple medications, is a growing problem that is more common than most healthcare professionals realize. Most patients are seeing multiple doctors and have multiple prescriptions, therefore making it difficult for physicians to properly monitor their patients. However, there are steps that the healthcare profession can take to reduce the occurrence of polypharmacy. The use of a well-designed polypharmacy intervention program can help reduce the costs associated with polypharmacy, as well as improve patients' health by helping to detect and avoid unnecessary drug use.