Simonson William, Feinberg Janice L
Independent Consultant Pharmacist, Suffolk, Virginia 23435, USA.
Drugs Aging. 2005;22(7):559-69. doi: 10.2165/00002512-200522070-00002.
The elderly population is at great risk for medication-related problems as a result of age-related physiological changes, the presence of multiple chronic diseases and conditions, and the types and numbers of prescription and nonprescription medications they consume.Medication-related problems have received international attention. In the US, as many as 200,000 people may die of medication-related problems each year. Studies from other developed nations where patients have access to medications have determined that various types of medication-related problems occur in the elderly population in health care environments ranging from nursing homes to community dwelling settings.A variety of initiatives have been developed in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of medication-related problems in the elderly. The role that a pharmacist can play in identifying and preventing the negative health outcomes and costs of medication-related problems is being increasingly recognised. Indeed, numerous studies have now documented the positive impact that pharmacists can have in this area, and ongoing research is being conducted. With the growing numbers of elderly, and the increase in the numbers and types of medications available, it is imperative that awareness of medication-related problems be increased and that further initiatives be developed to optimise the positive outcomes of drug therapy in the elderly.
由于与年龄相关的生理变化、多种慢性疾病和状况的存在以及他们所服用的处方药和非处方药的类型及数量，老年人群面临与药物相关问题的巨大风险。与药物相关的问题已受到国际关注。在美国，每年可能有多达20万人死于与药物相关的问题。在其他患者能够获取药物的发达国家所做的研究表明，在从养老院到社区居住环境等各类医疗保健环境中，老年人群都会出现各种类型的与药物相关的问题。人们已开展了各种举措，试图降低老年人出现与药物相关问题的可能性。药剂师在识别和预防与药物相关问题的负面健康后果及成本方面所能发挥的作用正日益得到认可。事实上，现在已有大量研究记录了药剂师在这一领域所能产生的积极影响，并且相关研究仍在进行中。随着老年人口数量的不断增加以及可用药物的数量和种类的增多，提高对与药物相关问题的认识并进一步开展举措以优化老年人药物治疗的积极效果势在必行。
