Why medication management is essential for seniors“To us, medication management is part of our early warning system,” says Hashmi. Show
Each year, about 350,000 people are hospitalized after visits to the emergency room because of adverse drug events, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older adults often take multiple medications, vitamins, and supplements to treat different symptoms and health conditions, and this can increase their risk of medication mix-ups. In some cases, these simple mix-ups can become dangerous and even fatal. The regular use of five or more medications is referred to as polypharmacy. Other factors that increase the risk of health problems related to medication mismanagement in older adults include:
While polypharmacy is a growing problem as the U.S. population ages, there are steps you can take to help your loved one get organized and practice better medication management. Let our care assessment guide youOur free tool provides options, advice, and next steps based on your unique situation. Prescription Medication Hoarding and Borrowing or Sharing (PMHBS)Patients taking several medications for diverse medical conditions may hoard them. And, cost concerns a leading reason — seniors don’t want to “waste” their unused pills, so they hold on to them in case they “need them again.” But this is a very dangerous game to play. The dangers of hoarding, sharing, borrowing, or misusing prescription medications are serious, and the following may occur:
If a senior in your life is receiving similar prescriptions from different physicians, hoarding prescriptions, self-medicating, or misusing opioids and other types of medications, then you may need to step in, but do so cautiously. Many seniors think that hoarding, sharing or borrowing medications is acceptable behavior. Rather than lecturing them, or forcing them to involuntarily hand over their store of pills, work on educating them about the dangers associated with PMHBS. Also, ensure their doctor or pharmacist is aware of what’s going on. 10 effective medication management tips for seniorsFollow Hashmi’s tips to help your aging loved one prevent medication-related health hazards:
If you and your loved one need extra help staying organized, there are plenty of tools and devices to keep you on track. Shop around for options to help your loved one stay safe when managing their medications. A Place for Mom and Cleveland Clinic: Supporting seniors and their families This article was developed in conversation with Ardeshir Hashmi, MD, section chief of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Geriatric Medicine, as part of a series of articles featuring expert advice from Cleveland Clinic geriatricians. References Interview conducted with Hashmi, A. Cleveland Clinic. August 30, 2021. Expert opinion on drug safety. “Clinical consequences of polypharmacy in elderly.” Talk with a Senior Living AdvisorOur advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones. Why should you be aware of drug interactions with older people?Drug-drug interactions — Older adults are particularly vulnerable to drug-drug interactions because they often have multiple chronic medical conditions requiring multiple drug therapies. The risk of an adverse event due to drug-drug interactions is substantially increased when multiple drugs are taken [96-100].
Why is monitoring medication important?All medications can cause side effects, which may lead to new symptoms or worsen existing symptoms, so it is important to monitor routinely all prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements. It is also important to be mindful of possible interactions.
What are the factors affecting drug response in elderly clients?Drug distribution is affected by the changes in body composition associated with age due to an increase in body fat percentage and decrease in lean muscle mass. There is also a decrease in total body water.
How does age affect drug clearance?Usually, age does not greatly affect clearance of drugs that are metabolized by conjugation and glucuronidation (phase II reactions). First-pass metabolism (metabolism, typically hepatic, that occurs before a drug reaches systemic circulation) is also affected by aging, decreasing by about 1%/year after age 40.
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