Inappropriate medication use remains a serious problem for the elderly. They typically are subjected to "polypharmacy"--use of multiple medications or use of unnecessary medications. According to JAMA, 94% of individuals over 65 take at least one medication a week and two-thirds of older adults take five-or-more per week. Two-thirds of those living in a nursing home take over nine different medications weekly. Seniors are at risk due to an increasing number of co-morbid diseases, increasing number of physicians, and self-care with OTC medications and herbal preparations. They are also victims of prescribing cascades which work as a continual addition of medications prescribed to counteract side-effects and actions of the initial medication (as well as subsequently prescribed medications). Seniors are particularly vulnerable to misuse of medications--such as using someone else's medication, problems with instructions due to vision impairments, and what appear to be vague instructions (e.g. "1-2 tabs every 4-6 hours").
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) literally cost billions each year. The three main causes of ADRs are inappropriate drug selection, overuse, and underuse. Many of these are preventable depending on the venue of care. Cardiovascular medications, analgesics, and diuretics were the three most common categories associated with preventable events.
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