Published: 19 July 2026
Author(s): Graziano Onder, Jerry H. Gurwitz, Joyce Li, Paula A. Rochon
Issue: July 2026
Section: Editorial

Prescribing cascades are traditionally defined as a sequence in which an adverse effect of a medication is misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to the prescription of additional medications [1]. Medications commonly implicated in adverse effects leading to prescribing cascades include antidepressants, cholinesterase inhibitors, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, sedative-hypnotics, statins, and antihypertensives, with these effects sometimes leading to the prescription of additional medications to manage their adverse effects [2].

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