title: Adverse drug events in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing recognition of the burden associated with iatrogenic disease has led to international interest into how best to promote patient safety. Within this field, the subject of adverse drug events (ADEs) has received particular attention, this reflecting the known high frequency with which such events occur, particularly in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a narrative review summarizing epidemiological data on medication-related adverse events in elderly people, considering various known causes of such events and suggesting practical ways in which prescribing can be made safer for high-risk populations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There is an increasing recognition that a relatively high proportion of ADEs in the elderly may be preventable. Systems issues have been found to play a particularly powerful role in this context, resulting in several promising approaches to address the problem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relatively simple system changes have the potential to reduce the burden associated with medication-related adverse events in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health Sciences, General Practice Section, University of Edinburgh, 20 West Richmond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DX, UK.
authors.forename: Kathrin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Cresswell
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fernando
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McKinstry
authors.forename: Aziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D012308:Risk Management