About twothirds taken to hospitals for medication-related problems, are over the age of 65. This picture has been recognised for a long time and some actions have been taken yet the numbers keep on increasing. Not just the pensioners, the incidence of drug -related adversities are affecting virtullay all of us and the overall rate of reactions to drugs is quite high ; nearly 7 % of hospital admissions are for such problems. >
Older people, as a group, are usually on more tablets than others and it is due to their overall increased illness rate. Multiple interlinked factors influence this phenomena ; more ills so more pills ; more pills so more ills from the pills!!
Sounds jocular but the single most common cause of adverse drug reactions are the intake of too many medications concurrently. Just not ' reactions' to medicines , many other 'adversities' may also develop with uncontrolled and unmonitored drug-intake. Such overall 'adverse effects resulting from some medication taken originally' are being called 'adverse drug events'! Many studies and surveys have already been conducted and more are ongoing - and the general conclusion is ' too many medications are being given and taken' especially to and by the older people. Lack of regular monitoring , reviews and discontinuation of the existing medication before adding a new one are some of the causes. In addition many buy medications over the counter without a proper prescription and may not declare those when an official prescription is given. Some may even forget to tell the doctor if they have been on some medication for years and the doctor may not be aware of it especially in hospitals.>
Regular strict medication surveillance is crucial to good and safe health care ; the individuals and their caregivers must remain more vigilant about the medications , prescribed or otherwise. Medications are useful and very effective but like cars they can also kill !!!!
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