Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are common in the elderly and manifest themselves with falls, orthostatic hypotension, delirium, renal failure, gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeding. In the latest issue of the journal Pro Terza Età di ANASTE an article of mine has been published that illustrates how to manage this serious risk.
The article, after explaining why, with advancing age, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic response in the elderly increases the risk of ADR, illustrates the three phases in which a correct treatment of pharmacological risk is articulated:
- The multidimensional assessment that allows the doctor to understand the level of risk, how and to what extent each drug determines it;
- Risk mitigation, i.e., the possible options that the physician may consider to reduce the level of risk;
- Risk management, i.e. the actions that the physician must consider to monitor the consequences of ADR.
The article illustrates, with examples and images, how a Medication Decision Support System can concretely help physicians in the management of pharmacological risk.
You can access and read the article here, without any registration.
Enjoy reading it!
Digital-health 