Optimization of Drug Use in Older People

Abstract

Older people use more drugs than any other age group. The prescription strategy constitutes a major challenge. Polypharmacy, inappropriate prescribing and drug-related problems in older people are important problem of public health as a link exists with significant morbidity and mortality and with a large waste of health resources. The main target is the balance between an unsustainable number of different prescription drugs to treat various chronic diseases and the failure to take preventive measures in these older patients. In this review, the difficulties in prescribing in the older population and the identification, prevention and optimization of inappropriate prescribing and drug related problems in older people are respectively discussed. Medication reconciliation, medication review, tools for detection of potentially inappropriate prescribing, use of health information technology, adherence optimization patient-tailored pharmacotherapy en judicious drug cessation) are highlighted as a part of collaborative and integrative approaches.