Social prescribing to reduce polypharmacy in patients with COPD in general practice

Abstract

Patients suffering from COPD are often treated with a substantial number of medications due to multimorbidity. The combination of multimorbidity and polypharmacy can make the treatment of individuals with COPD difficult. Although guidelines in recent years have focused on the reduction of inappropriate medication, there is still room for improvement. This review suggests an increased focus on smoking cessation and physical activity in terms of the use of social prescribing to prevent polypharmacy and thereby improve sustainability in patients with COPD.