[Risks of the anti-arrhythmia treatment in the elderly].

The amount of drugs taken by elderly patients over 70 years old increases with the increase of the average age in western countries; this drug consumption, statistically higher than that of the whole population, concerns mainly cardio-vascular drugs; anti-arrhythmics occupy a large place, the therapeutic indications differing only slightly from those of the young subject. The report on the observations enables us to draw the attention on the increasing predisposition, in these age groups, to side effects which are often serious, calling into question the vital prognosis. Modifications in the pharmacokinetics and the pharmacodynamics, associated with a frequent polymedication and a risk of error in the drug absorption are factors to be taken into account when prescribing anti-arrhythmic drugs to elderly patients.