Real Life Examples: Polypharmacy and the Prescribing Cascade Part 2 of 2
From Real Life Pharmacology - Pharmacology Education for Health Care Professionals by Eric Christianson, PharmD; Pharmacology Expert and Clinical Pharmacist
April 30, 2026 · 15 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the challenges of polypharmacy and the prescribing cascade in older adults, providing real-life examples from a geriatric pharmacist's practice.
Polypharmacy is one of the most common—and often overlooked—challenges in modern healthcare, especially in older adults. It’s not just about the number of medications a patient is taking, but whether each one still has a clear indication, is providing benefit, and isn’t causing harm. As medication lists grow, so does the risk of adverse effects, drug interactions, and something we see all the time in practice: the prescribing cascade. A prescribing cascade happens when a medication causes a side effect that is misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to the addition of another drug. Over time, this can snowball into unnecessary complexity and increased risk for patients. In part 2 of this podcast, we outline 5 more examples that I’ve encountered in my geriatric pharmacist practice. Be sure to check out our free Top 200 study guide – a 31 page PDF that is yours for FREE! Support The Podcast and Check Out These Amazing Resources! NAPLEX Study Materials BCPS Study Materials BCACP Study Materials BCGP Study Materials BCMTMS Study Materials Meded101 Guide to Nursing Pharmacology (Amazon Highly Rated) Guide to Drug Food Interactions (Amazon Best Seller) Pharmacy…
People in this episode
Host: Eric Christianson
Topics covered
- polypharmacy
- prescribing cascade
- geriatric pharmacology
- medication management
- adverse effects
Keywords
- polypharmacy
- prescribing cascade
- geriatric
- medications
- adverse effects
- drug interactions
- healthcare
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NAPLEX, BCPS, BCACP, BCGP, BCMTMS, Meded101
More episodes of Real Life Pharmacology - Pharmacology Education for Health Care Professionals
- Antidepressants: Trazodone, Nefazodone, Vilazodone, and Vortioxetine – Test Prep and Practice Pearls · June 11, 2026 · 15 min
- ICU Sedation – 6.1 Nursing Pharmacology Review Course · June 8, 2026 · 12 min
- SNRIs – Test Prep and Practice Pearls · June 4, 2026 · 15 min
- Infectious Disease Section 5.4 – HIV Medications · June 1, 2026 · 19 min
- Mirtazapine and Bupropion – Test Prep and Practice Pearls · May 28, 2026 · 15 min
- Infectious Disease Section 5.3- Antifungal Agents · May 25, 2026 · 17 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Real Life Pharmacology - Pharmacology Education for Health Care Professionals podcast page.