Medication Related Problems

• Confusion
• Delirium/hallucinations
• Depression
• Dizzinesss
• Drowsiness
• Falls
• Incontinence
• Insomnia
• Loss of coordination
• Malnutrition/dehydration
• Memory loss
• Other psychiatric problems    

Which can lead to:

• Decreased quality of life
• Emergency room visits
• Hip fractures and other physical disabilities
• Hospitalization
• Loss of functional ability
• Loss of independence
• Nursing facility placement
• Physician visits
• Death

 "Too often, illness in older people is misdiagnosed, overlooked, or dismissed as the normal process of aging, simply because health professionals are not trained to recognize how diseases and drugs affect older people."  (Murphy 1999)

 "Any symptom in an elderly patient should be considered a drug side effect until proved otherwise." (Gurwitz et al. 1995)

America's Senior Care Pharmacists®

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CONSULTANT PHARMACISTS

1321 Duke Street

Alexandria, VA 22314-3563

703-739-1300/703-739-1321 (Fax)

E-mail: info@ascp.com ● www.ascp.com

References

Gurwitz J., Monane M., Monane S., Avorn J. Long-Term Care Quality Letter. Brown University. 1995.

Murphy J. Senate Special Committee on Aging. quoted in The Washington Post, May 30, 1999.

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