Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, The Continuing Education Unit in cooperation with Ibn Sina Unit for Electronic Education at the University of Baghdad/ College of Pharmacy, held an electronic workshop entitled “The challenges of polypharmacy and an aging population,” delivered by Associate Professor Dr. Fadya Yaqoob Al-Hamadani, a faculty member at the Clinical pharmacy Department and Dr. Sundus Jawad, lead medicines optimization pharmacist, from Oxford University/ UK. The workshop aimed to give insight on definition of polypharmacy and its impact especially on aging population. The workshop included several topic like different terminology of polypharmacy, prevalence of polypharmacy in the UK, impact of polypharmacy on the incidence of adverse drug effects and medication errors and its effect on the environment, the aging population and its associated changes and finally, the challenges of polypharmacy on this aging population.The workshop focused on the aging population and its associated age-related physiological changes and the specific challenges polypharmacy poses to older adults. It emphasized on the need for tailored interventions and strategies to tackle this problem. By synthesizing the information presented, participants were equipped with a deeper appreciation for the crucial relationship between polypharmacy, patient safety, and the broader healthcare system. This knowledge empowers them to contribute to more informed and effective medication management practices, ultimately improving patient outcomes and addressing the growing complexities of polypharmacy in an aging society.
