[Drug-drug interactions in the elderly : Which ones really matter?].
Pharmacotherapy in the elderly is challenging due to age-related physiological changes, high interindividual variability, and increasing frequency of multimorbidity. The resulting polypharmacy increases the risk of drug-drug interactions and requires an individual risk assessment. Some drug-drug interactions are documented to be associated with harm in older adults including intoxication, gastrointestinal bleeding, or falls. Therefore, they are considered to be of special importance in the elderly. Moreover, frequent risk factors and continuous physiological alterations in the elderly should be taken into account during risk assessment. This review exemplifies clinically relevant drug-drug interactions and risk factors in the elderly. In addition, assessment tools as well as prevention and management strategies for clinical practice are presented.
Klinische Pharmazie, Pharmazeutisches Institut, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Deutschland.
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Bitter
Klinische Pharmazie, Pharmazeutisches Institut, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Deutschland.
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Schlender
Klinische Pharmazie, Pharmazeutisches Institut, Universität Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, 53121, Bonn, Deutschland. r.woltersdorf@uni-bonn.de.
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Woltersdorf
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making / Q000379:methods*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D004347:Drug Interactions; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D019338:Polypharmacy; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods
Drug-related problems; Drug-related side effects and adverse reactions; Patient safety; Pharmacotherapy; Polypharmacy