Which patients are considered HIGH RISK when on specialty medications?

Patients who are pregnant, pediatric, and geriatric are considered high risk when on specialty medications due to several critical factors.

Pregnant individuals may have complex physiological changes that can affect how medications are metabolized, potentially impacting both the mother's and the fetus's health. Pediatric patients often have different responses to medications because their bodies are still developing, making standard dosages unsafe or ineffective. Geriatric patients may have multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy issues, leading to an increased risk of adverse drug reactions and complications due to age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

The combination of these factors means that careful monitoring and tailored treatment plans are essential for these groups to ensure safety and efficacy when they are prescribed specialty medications. Therefore, this patient population presents unique challenges that place them in the high-risk category.