Rehabilitation needs pharmacological awareness

In outpatient rehabilitation, when patients stop progressing, clinicians often look inward: Is the diagnosis incorrect?Are the exercises too intense?Is the patient non-compliant?Rarely, however, do we ask if medications might be impeding recovery.In a health system increasingly marked by complexity, the absence of pharmacological thinking in rehabilitation practice represents a blind spot that must be addressed.The prevalence of polypharmacy among older adults is well documented.Estimates suggest that more than 40% of older adults take five or more medications daily, increasing their risk for adverse drug reactions, cognitive impairment and functional decline. [1]While prescribing physicians are typically aware of potential drug-drug interactions, this knowledge is often siloed-rarely transmitted to those providing rehabilitation, especially in private or outpatient settings.