Clinical Guidance 2026-09-12 Clinical Pharmacy Team· 6 min read

What is a Comprehensive Medication Review and When Should You Schedule One?

If you take 5 or more regular medications, a one-on-one clinical review with a pharmacist can prevent dangerous drug interactions.

What is a Comprehensive Medication Review and When Should You Schedule One?

As individuals age or manage multiple chronic conditions (such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and arthritis), the number of concurrent daily medications often grows. This scenario—known clinically as polypharmacy—substantially increases the risk of adverse drug reactions, drug duplication, and organ toxicity.

What Happens During a Medication Review? A Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR) is an in-depth clinical consultation with our licensed Ontario pharmacist. During this session, the pharmacist examines: - Every prescription medication, over-the-counter remedy, vitamin, and herbal supplement you take. - Potential CYP450 liver enzyme interactions or duplicate therapies. - Inconvenient dosing schedules or side effects you may be experiencing. - Opportunities to simplify your daily regimen or transition to once-daily formulations.

Coordinating with Your Family Doctor Following the review, our pharmacist generates a collaborative action plan shared directly with your primary care physician to adjust doses or discontinue unnecessary medications, optimizing your overall health outcomes.

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