Drug use and effects in older adults in the United States

Aging markedly influences drug use and drug effects. The purpose of this review is two-fold: (i) to examine how social, economic, and psychological factors, compliance, and prescribing patterns affect drug use in institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults in the United States, and (ii) to illustrate how physiological aging, actions of drugs, and adverse drug reactions influence drug effects. Recommendations for further study include identification of adverse reactions, and examination of drug taking behavior in older adults who are alone or debilitated. Research is especially needed for those in nursing homes and for those who are old-old (over 85 years).