Minimizing Adverse Drug Events in Older Patients

Older adults experience a disproportionate share of unwanted and unexpected adverse effects from medication.

• Falls, hip fractures, delirium, and urticaria lead the list of preventable adverse drug events.
• About one in three older persons taking at least five medications will experience an adverse drug event each year, and about two thirds of these patients will require medical attention.
• Approximately 95 percent of these reactions are predictable, and about 28 percent are preventable.

However, age is not the only risk factor for an adverse drug reaction in older patients. Preventable adverse drug events in older adults are often the result of misuse, overuse, or underuse of medications.

Please visit our site often to get the most up to date information focusing on:

Avoiding Misuse of Medications
Avoiding Overuse of Medications: Polypharmacy and Overdosing
Avoiding Underuse of Medications: Underprescribing and Nonadherence