polypharmacy
noun
poly·phar·ma·cy
ˌpä-li-ˈfär-mə-sē 
: the practice of administering many different medicines especially concurrently for the treatment of a single disease
also
: the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient to treat usually coexisting conditions and which may result in adverse drug interactions
Examples of polypharmacy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The path toward polypharmacy often starts with drugs that are used to treat A.D.H.D.
—
Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Similarly, the use of dimensions as key secondary end points in many different diagnostic categories may lead to pseudospecific indications and polypharmacy.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2012
That practice, called polypharmacy, can increase the likelihood of harmful side effects, the suit said.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2023
Instances of polypharmacy do not always begin with a diagnosis of A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Moreover, if available antidepressants were magic bullets, then polypharmacy would not be so common.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2011
Nancy Taylor, PharmD will discuss the impact of polypharmacy in older adults and provide valuable information for patients and their caregivers.
—Cindy Kent, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2022
Optimising Therapies: addressing the problems of polypharmacy and implementing more de-prescribing protocols.
—Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Similarly, the use of dimensions as key secondary end points in many different diagnostic categories may lead to pseudospecific indications and polypharmacy.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 3 Aug. 2012
That practice, called polypharmacy, can increase the likelihood of harmful side effects, the suit said.
—Darcy Costello, Baltimore Sun, 17 Jan. 2023
Instances of polypharmacy do not always begin with a diagnosis of A.D.H.D.
—Matt Richtel Annie Flanagan, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2022
Moreover, if available antidepressants were magic bullets, then polypharmacy would not be so common.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 25 Nov. 2011
Nancy Taylor, PharmD will discuss the impact of polypharmacy in older adults and provide valuable information for patients and their caregivers.
—Cindy Kent, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2022
Optimising Therapies: addressing the problems of polypharmacy and implementing more de-prescribing protocols.
—Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polypharmacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near polypharmacy
Cite this Entry
“Polypharmacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polypharmacy. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
polypharmacy
noun
poly·phar·ma·cy
-ˈfär-mə-sē
plural polypharmacies
: the practice of administering many different medicines especially concurrently for the treatment of the same disease
also
: the concurrent use of multiple medications by a patient to treat usually coexisting conditions and which may result in adverse drug interactions
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