Deprescribing Order in Super-Agers: A Workable Path
We keep prescribing. That's the default. Every new symptom, a new pill. Before you know it, an 85-year-old is juggling eleven medications — some to counter the side effects of others. That's the cascade. The research is clear: drug interactions, falls, delirium, hospitalizations. But stopping meds in a super-ager? That feels risky. So we don't. But there's a way to do it, and the order matters more than you'd think. This article lays out a deprescribing sequence that respects the patient, addresses the highest-risk drugs first, and gives you a workable plan. It's not about being aggressive. It's about being careful — in the right direction. Who This Is For and the Cost of Ignoring It Defining the super-ager population Super-agers aren't just old.