deintensification
dee-in-TEN-sih-fih-KAY-shun
Definition
The clinical process of reducing the dosage or number of medications prescribed to a patient to safely manage their treatment regimen.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'intensio' (stretching or tension) with the prefix 'de-' (reversal or removal) and the suffix '-fication' (making or becoming). It entered medical terminology to describe the systematic scaling back of aggressive treatment plans.
In the news
In this article, deintensification refers to lowering diabetes medication to prevent dangerous hypoglycemia in frail older adults whose blood sugar levels are already below target goals. The researchers found that this practice remains unacceptably low despite clear medical guidelines.
Diabetes Medications Adjustments for Older Adults Lower Than ADA Guidelines
Read the full article ↗Drug Topics