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Using medicines safely

People aged 65 and older consume more prescription and over-the-counter medicines than any other age group. Older people tend to have more long-term, chronic illnesses such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, than do younger people. Because they may have a number of diseases or disabilities at the same time, it is common for older people to take many different drugs.
 
Using medicines may be riskier for older adults, especially when several medicines are used at one time. Taking different medicines is not always easy to do right. It may be hard to remember what each medicine is for, how you should take it and when you should take it. This is especially so for people with memory problems or dementia.

Medicines may act differently in older people than in younger people. This may be because of normal changes in the body that happen with age. For instance, as we get older, we lose water and lean tissue (mainly muscle) and we gain more fat tissue. This can make a difference in how long a drug stays in the body.
 
The word "drugs" can mean both medicines prescribed by your doctor and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, which you buy without a doctor's prescription. OTCs can include vitamins and minerals, herbal and dietary supplements, laxatives, cold medicines, and antacids. Taking some OTCs together with prescription medicines can cause serious problems. For example, aspirin and ginkgo biloba should generally not be taken with warfarin (Coumadin). Be sure your doctor knows what medicines you are taking and assures you that it is safe for you to take your medicines together. Also ask about taking your medicines with food. Herbal supplements also should be taken with care. Gingko biloba, for instance, should not be taken with aspirin, acetaminophen, warfarin, or thiazide diuretics because it may increase blood pressure and the risk of bleeding problems.

A specialist physician has said, "Be wary of the claims made by manufacturers of supplements.  The homocysteine level, for instance, is simply a marker of susceptibility to vascular damage." 
 
The Sunday Times of 7 February 2010:  "Taking ginkgo biloba, St John's wort and other widely-used herbal supplements may be risky for people on heart medication.  They may increase the potency of prescription drugs for heart disease or make them less effective.  Mixing herbs and drugs could also cause serious heart-rhythm problems and bleeding, according to a review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.  Use of herbal supplements among elderly patients is of particular concern, because they typically have more than one disease, take multiple medications and already are at greater risk of bleeding, the report said."

Learn about the medicines that you take and their possible side effects. Remember that medicines that are strong enough to cure you can also be strong enough to hurt you if they aren't used correctly.  For more information about medication, see the Alzheimer's Disease International information sheet on Drugs

Here are some hints to help avoid risks and get the best results from your medicine: