Modern medicine has long been built on prevention treat early, treat continuously, and reduce future risk. But as populations age and more people live with advanced frailty, dementia, or life-limiting illness, this long-standing approach is being reconsidered. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis examining deprescribing—the planned reduction or stopping of medications offers a timely and important perspective on how care might be better aligned with the realities of late-life health . Older adults today are often prescribed multiple medications to manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
While these drugs are effective in healthier populations with longer life expectancy, their benefits depend on time often years to show meaningful impact. For individuals nearing the end of life, that timeline may no longer be relevant. Instead, the…
