Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are common in older adults. The risk of ADR increases with age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, the burden of inappropriate prescribing and suboptimal monitoring of drugs. Several ADR risk tools exist but none has sufficient predictive value for clinical practice. This article discusses various risk factors of ADRs in the geriatric population. The incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) increases with age, with twice as many patients aged 65 years.
Most of the older patients are hospitalized because of ADR-related problems. Studies show that more than 50% of ADR-related hospital admissions are preventable, most being attributable to diuretics, NSAIDs, antiplatelet, anticoagulant and antidiabetic drugs. Overall ADR-related mortality in hospitalized patients ranges from 0.14% to 4.7%. The greatest risk is seen in those aged 75…
