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17% of Older Adults Affected by Prescription Drug Abuse

Thu, 05/03/2001 - 11:00pm — Karen Stevenson
Description: 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has issued a new research report that says that 17% of adults aged 60 or older may be affected by prescription drug abuse. They report that elderly persons use prescription medications three times as frequently as the general population and have the poorest rates of compliance with directions for taking medications. Other data suggest that elderly patients may be prescribed inappropriately high doses of some medications and may be prescribed these medications for longer periods than are younger adults, even though older people should be usually be prescribed lower doses of medications because the body's ability to metabolize many medications decreases with age.

They also point out an association between age-related morbidity and abuse of prescription medications. For example, elderly persons who take benzodiazepines are at increased risk for falls that cause hip and thigh fractures, as well as for vehicle accidents and cognitive impairment.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has issued a new research report that says that 17% of adults aged 60 or older may be affected by prescription drug abuse. They report that elderly persons use prescription medications three times as frequently as the general population and have the poorest rates of compliance with directions for taking medications. Other data suggest that elderly patients may be prescribed inappropriately high doses of some medications and may be prescribed these medications for longer periods than are younger adults, even though older people should be usually be prescribed lower doses of medications because the body's ability to metabolize many medications decreases with age.

They also point out an association between age-related morbidity and abuse of prescription medications. For example, elderly persons who take benzodiazepines are at increased risk for falls that cause hip and thigh fractures, as well as for vehicle accidents and cognitive impairment.