Drug misuse and abuse in the elderly.

The elderly are at particular risk for drug misuse and abuse, yet this problem is underdiagnosed. Drug misuse is the underuse, overuse, or erratic use of a drug. Drug abuse is the use of a drug for other than its intended purpose. A thorough nursing assessment is essential to detect and correct drug misuse and to diagnose drug abuse. In this paper methods to prevent and correct drug misuse and abuse are discussed. Case studies are used to illustrate the complexity of the problem.