Adverse drug reactions in the elderly and their prevention

Increasing age is often associated with multiple medical problems and therefore, the potential for increasing amounts of prescribed medication. Adverse reactions are a recognised hazard of drug therapy in elderly patients due to the amount of medication prescribed and the greater susceptibility of older people to adverse reactions. The problem is unlikely to diminish in the near future due to the proportionately increasing ageing population. Prevention of adverse drug reactions in the elderly deserves closer attention.