Expensive Savvy Senior: My 75-year-old mom is at the moment taking 16 completely different prescription and OTC drugs and I’m frightened she’s taking approach too many medicine. Are you able to counsel any sources that may assist us? — Fearful Daughter
Expensive Fearful: Sadly, hundreds of thousands of older People are taking approach too many drugs as we speak, which raises their danger of harmful unwanted side effects and drug interactions.
Based on the American Society of Advisor Pharmacists, individuals aged 65 to 69 take a mean of 15 prescriptions a yr, and people aged 80 to 84 take 18 prescriptions a yr. And that’s along with the myriad of over-the-counter medicine, natural cures, nutritional vitamins and minerals they could take, any of which — alone or together — may trigger extra issues than they treatment.
Even when older sufferers are taking solely crucial and efficient medicine, the dosages want a re-assessment. As sufferers age, they have an inclination to metabolize medicine extra slowly, which means the dose that was excellent 5 years in the past could now be too excessive, maybe inflicting dizziness and falls. Doses must be regularly adjusted with age, and more often than not that doesn’t occur.
Get a drug overview
In case you have considerations or questions concerning the drugs your mom is taking, collect up all her tablet bottles, together with her prescription and over-the-counter medicine in addition to nutritional vitamins and dietary supplements, put them in a bag, and take them to her major doctor or pharmacist for a complete drug overview.