People are now living longer than ever before. Longer life is accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of chronic conditions and combinations of chronic conditions are common: 65% of people older than 65 years of age have two or more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, heart and kidney failure or neurological diseases. The presence of multiple chronic conditions increases the burden of disease and negatively influences health status beyond the sum of the effects of each single condition. The importance of managing co-existing chronic conditions in people of all ages is critical to slow progression, prevent further disease and reduce the risk of duplicated, incompatible or conflicting treatments that adversely affect health outcomes. A key component in the management of chronic conditions is prescribed medications. The effectiveness of medications and their long - term benefits depend on adherence to the prescribers instructions
Last date updated on January, 2025