Management of Drug Related Problems in the Elderly - A Review

Abstract

Drug Related Problems (DRPs) also known as Medication Related Problems (MRPs) are the problems that occur because of the drugs when a person is undergoing a treatment. Older patients are particularly vulnerable to ADRs because of age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, such as reduced hepatic and renal function, prolonged elimination half-life, and increased sensitivity to drugs, which have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of ADRs. This may (in most cases) interfere with the desired outcome of the therapy. This in turn, reduces the quality of life of a person. DRPs may be life-threatening in some and this poses the importance of identification of DRPs. The DRPs can be identified and can be categorized as whether it is preventable or not. It can also be classified into different classes- Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) and Drug Interaction being the most common causes for the incidence of DRP. The pharmacist can play a key role in identification, categorization and prevention of DRPs. The aim of this review is for the better understanding of DRPs and to shine light on the causes of DRPs that is often left unseen or under-estimated. This review also aims to show the big role that can be played by pharmacist in identifying, preventing DRPs and thereby improving the quality of life of patients. Keywords: Drug related problems, Quality of life, Pharmacist’s role