“Patients and caregivers are making critical day-to-day decisions regarding the patient’s prescription regimen. But the fact is that up to 20 percent of all initial prescriptions written by physicians are never filled by patients, and of those that are filled, 50 percent are taken incorrectly. Furthermore, 30 percent of all refill prescriptions are never refilled.”
Overmedication, adverse interaction, and under medication of drugs are a common problem for older people. As we age sometimes changes take place in the body that affect the absorption rate of the medications which results in an “overmedication” problem even when taking the same dosage of a drug that has been taken for many years. Also, many drugs have noticeable adverse interactions with food or other drugs in older people that would not occur in younger persons. And, prescription drugs can interact with over-the-counter medications to create a serious health problem. Almost half of all Americans age 65 or over take at least 5 different medications per week, and 1 in 8 take 10 or more. With so many people taking so many pills, opportunities for harmful drug interactions are more likely than ever.
Under-medication often will occur when one partner intentionally totally eliminates or cuts back to save on the cost on a medication. The saving are then applied to the purchase of medications for the other partner. Often when this happens the individual is too embarrassed to tell his/her physician. If the doctors were told and understood the patient’s problem, they could devise a plan that would change medications, establish which medications are essential, and help patients understand the medications they are taking and why they are important. They could also refer patients to programs that can either help pay for drugs or provide options for buying medications as cheaply as possible,
Problems with medication can occur because the patient lacks adequate information to make informed choices about their schedule for taking prescription drugs, or over-the-counter medications. Physicians do not always provide adequate information to patients about drug interactions and patients often do not ask enough questions about side effects or interactions which may occur. Overmedication can occur when several physicians prescribe drugs for a patient, and are unaware of other medications the patient is taking. However, even if an older person sees only one physician, there are risks associated with medications related to drug interactions with over-the counter drugs, food, alcohol, and changes in health status. Problems can also arise when there is no system in place to ensure that medications are taken as prescribed.
If you notice confusion, personality changes, or changes in the overall well-being of your parent, you may want to suggest that they schedule an appointment with their doctor. In order for this appointment to be successful, your parent should take with them a list of all drugs — prescribed and over-the-counter — they are currently taking.
The pharmacist is also an excellent source of information about drugs and should be consulted as well as the physician. A pharmacist can discuss not only possible interactions and problems with a medication, but suggest strategies for managing medication, as well. Your pharmacist can advise you and your parent if a visit to the physician and a review of medication are needed.