Medication Safety in the Elderly: Translating Research Into Practice

Abstract

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported that medication errors are the most common error in health care. If medication-related problems were ranked as a disease by cause of death, it would be the fifth cause of death in the United States. The elderly, a rapidly increasing segment of the population, are at greatest risk for adverse drug events. Suboptimal prescribing in the elderly may involve overuse (poly-pharmacy), the use of inappropriate drugs, and/or omission of drugs that are indicated. The provision of quality care requires that clinicians recognize and prevent drug-related problems in the elderly.