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More than 4 out of 10 senior citizens take five or more prescription medications \u2014 a phenomenon<\/a> known as polypharmacy, research shows<\/a>.<\/p>\n This practice increases the risk of addiction and medication errors, like taking the wrong dosage or skipping doses altogether. Potential consequences include hospitalization, mental impairment<\/a> and painful falls.<\/p>\n Many seniors take several pills a day, a practice known as polypharmacy. Pixel-Shot \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n A new report<\/a> warns of another possible result \u2014 bacterial infections that are more difficult to treat.<\/p>\n A team from the University of South Australia tested nine medications common in nursing homes, finding that two common painkillers help bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics \u2014 especially when taken together.<\/p>\n \u201cAntibiotics have long been vital in treating infectious diseases, but their widespread overuse and misuse have driven a global rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria<\/a>,\u201d said Rietie Venter, an associate professor at UniSA and lead researcher on the study.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is especially prevalent in residential aged care facilities, where older people are more likely to be prescribed multiple medications \u2014 not just antibiotics, but also drugs for pain, sleep or blood pressure \u2014 making it an ideal breeding ground for gut bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics.\u201d<\/p>\n Bacteria resistant to antibiotics make previously curable infections tricky or impossible to treat. nobeastsofierce \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Antibiotic-resistant infections contribute to an estimated 4.95 million deaths<\/a> worldwide each year.<\/p>\n