Addressing Clinical and Therapeutic Inertia Through Comprehensive Medication Review

Abstract

Avoiding clinical and therapeutic inertia, through pharmacist-led medication therapy management, can lead to avoidance of inappropriate medication use and adverse medication events. Clinical and therapeutic inertia are terms that have been used indistinctly. One definition is inertia that appears when clinicians do not initiate or intensify therapy appropriately when therapeutic goals are not reached. Another definition is failure to advance or deintensify treatment, and in a broader sense beyond escalation or deintensification of therapy; definitions include failure to screen, make appropriate referrals, manage risk factors, and complications. Failure of clinicians to address clinical and therapeutic inertia in office or hospital visits can contribute to patients using inappropriate medications, and lead to avoidable serious adverse events. Addressing therapeutic inertia may also be a means to minimize prescription costs and improve quality of life. This case illustrates the importance of identifying and addressing the therapeutic appropriateness of medications for an older person who has been prescribed numerous medications over a long period but now has complaints of dizziness as well as the inability to afford all medications.