Duration of Drug Therapy: What do omeprazole, zolpidem, and alendronate have in common?
Use of unnecessary medications is one of 8 categories of medication-related problems that I describe in my book, “Maybe It’s Your Medications.” This article focuses on a specific aspect of unnecessary medication use, namely, duration of drug therapy. Continuing medications beyond a recommended or intended duration contributes to the risk of adverse drug reactions, interactions, unnecessary costs, and other more serious consequences associated with medication use.
Taking a medication “beyond the recommended duration,” where the duration is well-defined, has been identified as a signal of potentially inappropriate medication use among older adults.1 This means geriatric experts agree it is an important issue. Recommended duration can be a complex topic, though, and does not apply to every medication. When treating chronic health conditions, for example, medications typically are prescribed with the intent that the patient will take them ongoing for many years, until the patient’s condition or other circumstances change. Think about drugs to treat chronic conditions like high blood pressure, asthma, or rheumatoid arthritis, for example. In contrast, some medications have a well-defined duration of therapy, based on research or expert consensus, depending on the health condition being treated. While there is no specific list of these medications, it is important to recognize that duration of therapy is an important safety concept. In turn, individuals can feel comfortable to ask questions and start a conversation with their doctors.