Elderly At Higher Risk for Adverse Drug Reactions

Recent government research shows that each year, over 700,000 Americans are sent to emergency rooms by adverse drug reactions. The greatest risks are for people over 65. Compared to younger people, those older than 65 had a significantly greater risk of requiring emergency room treatment or hospital admission resulting from adverse drug reactions. Two of the main culprits for adverse reacions were insulin, used for diabetes, and warfarin, which is an anticoagulant. This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The agencies which developed this research project are the FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.