Deprescribing: How to Safely Reduce Unnecessary Medications

When you take too many pills, your body doesn’t always thank you. Deprescribing, the planned and supervised process of reducing or stopping medications that are no longer needed or may be doing more harm than good. Also known as medication reduction, it’s not about quitting drugs cold turkey—it’s about making smart, patient-centered choices to avoid side effects, falls, and hospital visits. This isn’t just for seniors. Anyone on five or more medications—what doctors call polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications simultaneously, often leading to increased risk of interactions and adverse effects—should ask if every pill still has a purpose. Many people keep taking drugs long after the original reason faded: a sleeping pill for occasional insomnia, a statin for borderline cholesterol, or an old painkiller that’s now doing more harm than good.

Drug withdrawal, the process of safely stopping a medication under medical supervision to avoid rebound symptoms or complications is a big part of deprescribing. You can’t just stop a blood pressure med or an antidepressant without a plan. That’s why it’s done step by step, with monitoring. Some meds, like benzodiazepines or proton pump inhibitors, are especially tricky to quit. Others, like anticholinergics in older adults, quietly increase dementia risk over time. Studies show that up to 30% of prescriptions in older patients are potentially inappropriate—but most are never reviewed. That’s where deprescribing steps in. It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about cleaning up clutter. Think of it like decluttering your medicine cabinet: keep what works, toss what doesn’t, and never guess.

Deprescribing is personal. What’s right for one person might be dangerous for another. That’s why it’s tied to real-world care—like managing geriatric medications, drugs prescribed to older adults that require special attention due to changes in metabolism, kidney function, and sensitivity to side effects. You’ll find posts here on statins for seniors, how to handle leftover antibiotics, and why some meds for dementia actually make things worse. These aren’t theoretical debates. They’re stories from real patients and pharmacists who’ve seen the impact of too many pills. What you’ll find below is a practical guide to asking the right questions, spotting red flags, and working with your provider to simplify your regimen safely. No fluff. No jargon. Just what you need to know to take control of your meds—not let them control you.