Older adults taking five or more daily prescriptions face a 38% higher risk of death compared to peers taking fewer drugs, according to a University of Michigan study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The research highlights growing health risks surrounding polypharmacy.
The modern medical landscape offers powerful tools to manage chronic illness, yet the sheer volume of treatments brings hidden hazards. For aging populations, taking multiple drugs simultaneously creates a cascade of physical vulnerabilities that medical providers are working urgently to identify and mitigate.
The Lethal Toll of Polypharmacy in Older Adults
Researchers examined national survey data collected from 7,828 adults aged 65 and older between 1999 and 2016, following participants for an average of 8.5 years after trained staff inspected their actual pill bottles according to a press release. Over 40% of the older adults studied were taking five or more prescription medications.
Led by Dr. Alexander Chaitoff of the University of Michigan School of Medicine, the research team discovered that the total number of medications participants took was the strongest independent predictor of mortality, even after accounting for drug-to-drug interactions and potentially inappropriate prescriptions.
“People taking more medications often have more underlying health conditions, which may also contribute to their higher mortality risk.”
Katy Dubinsky, New York-based pharmacist and founder of PostGigs, via Fox News
Beyond pure counts of prescriptions, 37.6% of those studied used medications deemed risky for older individuals—such as drugs that increase the risk of confusion or falls. Furthermore, 11.4% took combinations known to cause major drug-to-drug interactions.
Why Aging Bodies Process Medications Differently
Physical changes over time alter how the body handles pharmaceutical compounds. Liver and kidneys often stop working as efficiently as they once did, affecting how drugs break down and leave the body as detailed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This biological shift increases the likelihood of side effects, adverse drug reactions, and accidental overdoses according to medical experts at Cleveland Clinic. Common foods and drinks add another layer of complexity. Grapefruit juice can alter how certain medicines work, while alcohol mixed with specific medications can cause loss of coordination, memory problems, sleepiness, and falls.
Common Medications Driving Overuse and Dependence
Specific classes of drugs frequently remain active in patient routines long after their clinical utility has faded. Benzodiazepines, prescribed for anxiety and insomnia, offer prompt relief but carry severe trade-offs notes Mark Olfson, a psychiatrist and epidemiologist at Columbia University.
“Benzodiazepines and the related ‘Z’ drugs may impair balance, coordination, and cognition that can translate into falls and fractures and motor vehicle accidents.”
Mark Olfson, psychiatrist and epidemiologist at Columbia University, via KFF Health News
Among adults 65 and older, the rate of filling prescriptions for benzos dropped to 11.5% in 2024 from about 14% in 2015 according to prescribing trends published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, that decline stalled after 2020, and prescribed use actually rose among those over 75, climbing from 12% in 2020 to about 13% four years later.
Antibiotic overuse for conditions like uncomplicated diverticulitis presents another persistent hurdle. Clinical trials showed that antibiotics had little or no effect on mortality, surgery needs, or recurrences for the condition as explained by Jesse Sutton, a pharmacist and researcher at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Yet medical inertia keeps prescriptions flowing.
“Medications are like barnacles,” said Michael Steinman, a geriatrician at the University of California-San Francisco and co-director of the U.S. Deprescribing Research Network. “They’re easy to start, but they can be hard to stop.”
Michael Steinman, geriatrician at the University of California-San Francisco, via KFF Health News
The Path Forward: Deprescribing and Patient Reviews
The findings from aging research point toward a clinical strategy known as deprescribing
—the careful reduction or stopping of unnecessary medications under medical supervision the study authors noted. Because observational studies show association rather than direct causation, health professionals caution against abrupt changes.
“I would not recommend that anyone stop a medication because of this study.”
Katy Dubinsky, New York-based pharmacist, via Fox News
Instead, experts recommend that individuals taking multiple medications periodically review their complete regimen with a physician or pharmacist, covering prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements to ensure every dose remains appropriate and necessary.