As we get older, our use of medicines will often increase as we treat ailments that occur as a result of ageing. As we know, medicines (be it prescription or none, or herbal and natural remedies) are taken to ease, control or cure ailments and safe with little side effects provided we use it correctly. But for elderly people, they are at increased risk from medicines for various reasons.
The ageing body can be more susceptible to the side effects of medicines, more so for elderly people with multiple diseases which often end up taking multiple medicines at the same time. With multiple medicines, there is an increased chance of side effects, interactions between different medicines and the problems taking them correctly.
For example, the physical effects of ageing, such as arthritis and failing eyesight and memory, can cause issues in taking medicines the way our doctor intended. To ensure the medicines provide the desired effect, there are a number of things a patient, especially elderly people should take note of. As a matter of fact, four out of five people aged over 75 years take at least one medicine, and 36% from this age group take four medicines or more on a daily basis.
Hope you will find the following suggestions helpful:
General advice
Discuss your medication with your doctor or pharmacist. Try to learn the names of the medicines you are taking and find out why they have been prescribed that way. It is important to know how often you should take them, and for how long. If your pharmacist gives you a medicine that looks different to the one you are used to, make sure you ask for an explanation before leaving.
Taking medicines (be it prescription or non-prescription drugs and medicines)
Always take your medicines as intended by your doctor. It is good to read the label before you take the medicine and check the expiry date. To avoid mistake, never take medicines in the dark.
Storage
Try not to mix different medicines in one container as we may not be able to identify them or when they expire. Good practice is to store your medicines in the containers they were supplied in. You may want to know that the stability of certain medicines can be affected if they are transferred from their specially designed packaging.
Side effects
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about possible side effects of your medicines so you know what might be expected. You may want to know that some side effects may disappear after a few days, while others may indicate that your existing dose needs to be reduced. If there are any side effects troubling you, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Also, always keep a permanent record of any allergies you have to the medicines.
Herbal medicines/Natural remedies
Always check with your pharmacist before taking any non-prescription, or herbal medicines alongside your prescribed medicines. It is important to know that some medicines should not be taken together because they affect each other.
In the longer-term
At least once a year, ask your doctor or pharmacist to review all your medicines to see if they are still needed, especially if you are taking more than four medicines at any time. If you are admitted to hospital, make sure you know whether any changes have been made to your usual medical treatment before you are discharged and why, i.e. discontinued medicines, dose changes or need new medicines.
How can ageing cause problems using medicines?
Declining liver and kidney function
As we age, our livers become less efficient at breaking down medicines, i.e. kidneys less efficient at excreting them. This means that normal adult doses of certain medicines may be more likely to cause side effects. To avoid this, your doctor should prescribe you with a lower dose of a medicine.
Brain and nervous system
The brain and nervous system become more sensitive to certain medicines as we get older. Think you will agree that as we age, we tend to become more forgetful and may have trouble remembering what medicines are for, or whether we have taken them that day, right? To overcome this, we may use medicine reminder charts and pill boxes that can be filled with all the daily or weekly pills needed.
Eyesight
Be aware that our failing eyesight due to ageing can cause problems with reading small print labels and information leaflets supplied with medicines.
Bones and joints
Arthritis is a common problem affecting elderly people, and it can cause problems such as in getting medicines out of childproof containers and to administer medicines like eye drops and inhalers. Therefore, it is important to request non-click lock containers from your pharmacist, who can provide devices to make using medicines such as eye drops and inhalers easier.
Swallowing
Many elderly people have trouble swallowing tablets and capsules, as such they always take them with plenty of water. If you have difficulty swallowing, ask for medicines that come in liquid or soluble forms that are easier to swallow.
Advice for specific groups of medicines
Diuretics
Diuretics are used most commonly to treat high blood pressure and conditions such as heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver. Because diuretics are designed to draw water out of our body, which means we may need to go to the toilet more frequently, hence, diuretics is best to take in the morning to avoid disturbing our sleep, i.e. with trips to the toilet at night. Do take note that the possible side effect of diuretic medication is that it can cause a drop in our blood pressure, which this may make us feel dizzy or light-headed when up from lying down or sitting.
It is important to know that the aim of diuretic medication is to remove fluid from the body; we should try not to counter its effect by drinking too much, i.e. just drink enough to satisfy our thirst. For your info, some forms of diuretic medicine also remove salts (potassium and sodium) from the body.
Sleeping tablets
Sleeping tablets should only be used as a short-term treatment. Common side effects of sleeping tablets such as unsteadiness and feeling drowsy the next day are more common in the elderly. Because of this, sleeping pills may increase the risk of falls in elderly. Please do not drive if you are affected by the side effects of sleeping medication.
Painkillers
Pain and stiffness in the back and joints is common in old age. Simple painkillers such as paracetamol can be effective for arthritic pains, while weight reduction, warmth and exercise may all help.
However, many stronger painkillers can cause constipation as a side effect, while aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause bleeding from the stomach or bowel. Elderly people are at particular risk from this side effect, particularly those with heart and kidney problems. It is advisable not take more than one NSAID at a time. If the pain does not settle, see your doctor.
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