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College of Pharmacy

HelixTalk #184 - Drop it Like it’s Hot! Deprescribing Pharmacotherapy When Appropriate

Date posted: August 9, 2024, 4:00 pm

In this episode, we discuss the approach to deprescribing for several drugs such as benzodiazepine receptor agonists, cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, antipsychotics, and antihyperglycemics.

Key Concepts

  1. Medication appropriateness including indication and risk vs. benefit should be evaluated for all stages of life; however, more importantly in older individuals to address polypharmacy.
  2. There is an emerging trend of deprescribing networks that conduct research and provide evidence-based recommendations for how to deprescribe certain medications used for specific indications.
  3. Evidence-based deprescribing guidelines for PPIs, benzodiazepines, benzodiazepine receptor agonists, opioids, antipsychotics, cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, and antihyperglycemics are available for patient-provider shared decision making. 
  4. A general deprescribing approach is gradual tapering of the drug leading to discontinuation over several weeks while monitoring patients for withdrawal symptoms or benefits of discontinuation.

References