PMID: 8581761Nov 1, 1995Paper

Potential side-effects and interactions in multiple medication in elderly patients: methodology and results of the Berlin Study of Aging

Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie
M Borchelt

Abstract

Due to the age-associated increase in morbidity, many elderly subjects are in need of multiple drug treatment. Multimedications, however, carry a high risk for adverse drug reactions (ADR) and drug-drug interactions (DDI). This risk is especially increased in very old patients since age and morbidity lead to significant changes in body composition and organ functions. Nonetheless, representative and specific information on cumulative risks for adverse effects of multimedications in the aged is not yet available. We used data of the ongoing, population-based Berlin Aging Study (N = 516; age range 70-103 years) to evaluate the cumulative potential for ADR and DDI in a subgroup of participants taking five or more drugs (N = 221; 44.4% of the parent population [estimated]; mean age 85.2 +/- 8.3 years). Computerized algorithms were used to screen all medications for potential ADR and DDI based on standardized information which was derived from the German Physician's Desk Reference and a frequently used textbook on ADR and DDI. As expected, the analyses revealed a significant potential for adverse effects of multimedications. Cumulative totals of 12,221 different potential ADR (54.9 per subject) and 1016 different potential DDI (4.6 ...Continue Reading

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