DRUG ABUSE IN THE ELDERLY
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
by Robert Stall MD, Geriatrician
1. Do older people use more medications than younger people?
Yes, definitely. People over 65 average 13 prescriptions each year.
The national average for all age groups is 7.5 prescriptions per year. This
compares to 2.4 twenty-five years ago.
2. Why do they use so many drugs?
The fact that the elderly tend to have more illnesses accounts for
much of it. They may be seeing several doctors, each prescribing their
own medications. The patient may not tell their primary care doctor about these
other prescriptions.
3. Isn't that dangerous?
It sure is. Interactions between different medications and adverse side
effects may cause the drugs to do more harm than good. It's no wonder
medication use by the elderly is sometimes call "America's Other Drug
Problem".
4. How widespread is this problem?
Well, doctors write over 1.5 billion prescriptions in the United States
each year, and 1/3 of these are for people 65 and over. And only
1 out of 8 people are in this age bracket.
5. Isn't it hard to keep track of taking so many medications?
There is no question about that. It can be a nightmare for the patient to
remember to take his medications at the proper time and in the right amounts.
This can cause unintentional misuse of the drugs and predispose a patient to
drug reactions. It can also make it very difficult for the doctor to know
what to recommend if the medication does not seem to be working.
6. Can't the pharmacist help explain things?
Yes, but many times you find that patients shop around for the best price on
their medications, and one pharmacist may not know the full extent of the
problem.
7. What are the typical symptoms of a drug reaction?
These can be quite varied, depending on the medication. Common symptoms
that are often overlooked as drug reactions in the elderly include depression,
confusion, and memory loss. In addition, a new problem with falling or
urinary incontinence may be a sign of a drug intolerance.
8. Then what does one do to minimize the chance for problems such as
these?
First, keep an eye on yourself. If you've just started taking a new
medication and don't feel quite right, talk to your doctor. He may be able to
adjust the dose or find a more tolerable alternative.
Second, keep an eye on your doctors! Ask plenty of questions, and
make sure one doctor knows what another has prescribed for you. It is probably
best to bring all your medications when you go for your appointments.
Lastly, get help from your nurse, pharmacist, family, and friends.
Keep them informed about any new medications you are taking--they may observe
some problem that you may not have noticed.
Your thoughts please!
I hope some of these concepts prove useful. I would love to know if they
do. Please send me your comments and success stories!
This page Copyright 1996 Robert S. Stall, M.D.--Originally written
5/10/94; posted 5/25/96
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with Grandpa Julius