Medication and the elderly. Issues of prescription and use.

Use of medication has become an increasingly important issue in the health and health care of older populations. The demographic changes resulting in greater numbers of individuals 65 and over, accompanied by a higher prevalence of chronic disease, focus attention on prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the major strategy in treatment regimens for these conditions. In addition, the numbers of new and powerful drugs being developed increase daily. This article reviews and evaluates existing information on the prevalence of medication use and adverse drug reactions. It examines the role of physicians and patients in occurrence and management of side effects of drugs and in patterns of prescription and use. Following this, it identifies areas of research necessary to address the gaps in the current state of knowledge in these areas and discusses the need for strong and substantial information about this essential therapeutic strategy in health care for older people.