It will come as no surprise to many that the 65+ year old crowd – aging baby boomers and older adults – are taking a lot of over-the counter (OTC) and prescription medicines, along with vitamins, dietary supplements and herbal remedies. As many as 55 million Americans will be older than age 65 by 2020.
With the population of older adults soaring in the coming years, the prevalence of patients with chronic disease – who often take numerous prescription medications daily – is likely to increase as well. Add in those over 65 taking medicines for occasional or chronic pain — in sheer numbers, it’s pretty staggering, putting them at significantly higher risk for drug-drug and drug–alcohol interactions, adverse events, medication errors and falls.
One of the major risk factors for falls is medications and their adverse effects. According to CDC, falls are the number one cause of injury and deaths from injury among older Americans. One in four Americans aged 65+ falls each year. Every 11 seconds,
