Reducing Inappropriate Polypharmacy: The Process of Deprescribing

This deprescribing protocol is comprised of 5 steps

1. Determine all drugs the patient is currently taking and the reason for each one
2. Consider overall risk of drug induced harm in individual patients
3. Assess each drug in regard to its current or future potential benefit compared with its current or future potential harm
4. Prioritize drugs for discontinuation with the lowest benefit/harm ratio and lowest likelihood of adverse withdrawal reactions or disease rebound
5. Implement the discontinuation regimen and monitor patients closely