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NEWS About Senior Citizens and the Elderly
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National Patient Safety Week
Safety Tips for Senior Citizens, Caregivers in
Managing Drugs
March 9, 2005 - More than 2.3 million drug-related
errors adversely affect older Americans each year, often resulting in
rush trips to the emergency room, expensive hospitalization and
subsequently, the potential decline of a senior citizen’s independence.
There are specific precautions that seniors, their adult children and
caregivers can take to prevent mishaps related to prescription use, says
a company that manages prescription drug benefits.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Only Women to Protect Heart with
Aspirin
New study says aspirin does reduce risk of stroke for
all women
March 8, 2005 – The decision to take a daily
aspirin to avoid a heart attack is certainly best left to personal
physicians, but even they may be confused by all the studies released
recently. The study released yesterday focused on women and says it is
good for older women – those 65 and older. But, it does not help women
aged 45 to 64. Earlier studies have reported it helps men of all ages.
Read more...
Not Viable Anti-psychotic
Alzheimer’s Worsens for Patients Taking Quetiapine,
Researchers Say
Feb. 18, 2005 - Quetiapine, a drug commonly used in
nursing homes to treat agitation and related symptoms in people with
Alzheimer's Disease actually worsens patients' illness, speeding up
their rate of decline significantly, says a paper published on bmj.com
today.
Read more...
Doctors Must Be More Aware of Medications Dangerous
to Elderly, Say Researchers
1997 Beers Criteria was revised in 2003 to list
potentially dangerous drugs for elderly
Jan. 6, 2005 –
Researchers who found as many as 70 percent of the doctors in their
study had prescribed a potentially inappropriate medication for elderly
patients are urging physicians to be more aware of medications that are
inappropriate for the elderly.
More... 1/6/05*
Aleve Suspended in Clinical Trial of Elderly Due to
Increased Heart Risk
Celebrex also suspended, although no problems seen in
this trial
Dec. 21, 2004 – The use of Aleve and Celebrex was
suspended yesterday by the National Institutes of Health in a national
Alzheimer’s disease prevention trial, which involved senior citizens 70
and older who were considered at increased risk of AD. The researchers
say use of Aleve (naproxen) at 220 mg twice a day indicated an “apparent
increase in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events” in the elderly
participants. There was no problem found with Celebrex (celecoxib) at
200 mg twice a day, but this drug was suspended due to problems noted in
other trials. More...
12/18/04
Top Ten Drug Interactions Most Dangerous to Seniors
in Long-Term Care
Committee offers help on avoiding problems
Dec. 14, 2004 - Numerous studies
have shown senior citizens are the most prone to danger from drug
interactions, which has prompted the establishment of a project by the
American Medical Directors Association and the American Society of
Consultant Pharmacists to identify the ten drug interactions most commonly
associated with such reactions by residents in long-term care.
More... 12/14/04*
Safety of DHEA?
Publicity on Diet Supplement for Senior Citizens
Needs Caution Sign
Nov. 12, 2004 - An over-the-counter hormone
supplement reduces belly fat and the chance of diabetes in older adults,
says a study reported this week in the Journal of the American Medical
Association. But, this was a study with only 56 participants and the
supplement known as DHEA has not been highly regarded in the past.
More... 11/12/04*
Dangerous Drugs Provided to 21 Percent of Elderly
Aug. 10, 2004 – A large study has found that 21
percent of the elderly were given drug prescriptions for medications
identified as “inappropriate” by the Beers list, which identifies drugs
to be avoided for the elderly.
More... 8/10/04*
Medicare Patients Dying at Rate of 195,000 a Year
Due to Medical Errors
One in four Medicare patients hospitalized from
2000 to 2002 and experienced a patient-safety incident died
Aug. 7, 2004 – An average of 195,000
Medicare patients in the U.S. died due to potentially preventable,
in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002,
according to a new study of 37 million patient records that was released
in July by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company.
More... 8/07/04*
Seniors Prone to Drug Errors Finding Help From
Safety System
June 23, 2004 - One
in four seniors age 65 or older sees four or more physicians each year,
and one in three visit four or more pharmacies each year, making patient
data exchange difficult and creating a dangerous medication matrix that
could put people at risk, according to the company who introduced a
safety system last year that they say is helping reduce the risk.
More... 6/23/04*
Millions of Senior Citizens Given Drug
Over Doses - Twice As Many As 1999
Potential
for confusion and errors compounded: -- one in four seniors sees
four or more physicians, -- one in three uses four or more different
pharmacies
May 28, 2003 -
The number of senior citizens subjected to a potentially dangerous
over-medication has more than doubled since 1999, as more
prescription drugs are prescribed by more doctors and filled at more
pharmacies than ever before, according to data released May 21 by
Medco Health Solutions, Inc., the nation's leading provider of
pharmacy healthcare services.
Click 5/28/03*
11 Dangerous Drugs
AARP Identifies Drugs
Dangerous for Older Americans
In
August of 2002, AARP published on the Web a report written by
Christopher J. Gearon that identified 11 drugs that were
particularly dangerous for older people.
Click 7/10/03
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