Taking 5 or More Medications? How to Stay Safe with Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy — taking five or more medications daily — affects over 40% of people over 65 in Ireland. While each medication may be necessary, the more tablets you take, the higher the risk of side effects, drug interactions, and medication errors. A 2025 study published in Drugs & Aging found that nearly one in three older community-dwelling adults in Ireland had at least one potentially harmful drug interaction.

What is polypharmacy and why does it matter?

Polypharmacy simply means taking multiple medications at the same time. It's extremely common in older adults who may have several conditions — high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, cholesterol. Each condition gets its own medication, and over time the list grows. The problem isn't necessarily taking many medications — it's that each new tablet increases the chance of side effects and interactions with other drugs.

Common risks of taking many medications

• ✓Drug interactions — one medication can change how another works, making it stronger or weaker
• ✓Prescribing cascades — a new medication is prescribed to treat side effects of an existing one
• ✓Increased risk of falls due to dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion
• ✓Kidney and liver strain from processing multiple drugs
• ✓Difficulty remembering which tablets to take and when
• ✓Higher chance of accidentally doubling a dose or skipping one

Ask your GP for a medication review

The most important thing you can do is ask your GP for a medication review. This is where your doctor looks at everything you're taking and asks: 'Is this still necessary? Could we reduce the dose? Is there a safer alternative?' Research from the SPPiRE study in Ireland showed that structured medication reviews in primary care led to meaningful reductions in potentially inappropriate prescribing. You're entitled to ask for this — and your GP will be glad you did.

How your pharmacist can help

Your local pharmacist is an underused resource. They can review your medications for interactions, suggest the best times to take each tablet, and organise blister packs so you don't have to sort pills yourself. In Ireland, pharmacists are increasingly recognised as essential partners in medication management — a 2025 systematic review found that pharmacist-led interventions significantly reduced polypharmacy-related problems in older adults.

Keeping track with HealthLog

When you're taking 5, 8, or even 12 tablets a day, having a clear digital record is essential. HealthLog lets you list all your medications with doses and frequencies. When your GP changes something, update it by voice — just say the new medication and HealthLog does the rest. Bring your phone to every appointment so your doctor can see the full picture.