Medicationrelated

Medication-related refers to all aspects of medicines and their use, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter products, herbal supplements, and other substances that may interact with one another. It encompasses safety, efficacy, dosing, administration, monitoring, and adherence across outpatient and inpatient settings.

Common medication-related problems include adverse drug events (harm caused by a drug), medication errors (mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, or administering), nonadherence (patients not taking medicines as directed), polypharmacy (use of multiple medicines), and drug–drug or drug–disease interactions.

Risk factors include advanced age, multiple prescribers, complex regimens, cognitive impairment, limited health literacy, renal or hepatic impairment, and use of high‑risk medicines such as anticoagulants, insulins, opioids, and sedatives.

Prevention and management rely on coordinated safety practices such as medication reconciliation during care transitions, electronic prescribing with decision support, pharmacist review, and robust pharmacovigilance systems for reporting adverse events. Patient education, simplified regimens, and adherence aids also reduce harm and improve outcomes.

Professional roles span physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare workers who collaborate to optimize therapy, monitor for adverse effects, and adjust dosages. Regulators and organizations maintain safety guidelines, reporting databases, and programs to reduce medication-related harm.

Special considerations apply to children, older adults, pregnant or breastfeeding individuals, and people with organ impairment, who may require altered dosing or avoidance of certain drugs. The field also includes research into pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and the effects of medications in diverse populations.