Medicus, Vol. 14 No. 2_Gerijatrija, 2005.
Review article
Pharmacotherapy in Elderly Patients
Josip Čulig
Abstract
The European population above 65 years
of age will account for 60% in 2050. Pharmacotherapy has
defi nitely contributed to extended life expectancy and improved
quality of life, and medications make a signifi cant part of total
health care resources. In developed countries, they account
for around 15%, while in transition countries they account
for 25-35% of total health care expenses. Monitoring of their
use can signifi cantly contribute to the assessment of rational
pharmacotherapy, as well as to the assessment of actual
patient needs, actual use of medications and benefi t/risk
ratio in their administration. Therefore, the World Health
Organisation recommends a common method for monitoring of
drug use, i.e. Defi ned Daily Doses, a methodology that has been
recently adopted in Croatia. Pharmacotherapy in the elderly
is specifi c due to physiological changes, polypharmacy and
lower patient compliance. The use of drugs by elderly patients
is proportionally higher than the overall ratio of the elderly
in the population. Therefore, possible interventions in dosing
regimens will have a far greater impact on total population
parameters than in other population segments. The analysis
of drug use in Croatia shows insuffi ciently rational prescribing,
especially if data are compared with those from Scandinavian
countries that have been applying the DDD methodology for
already two decades.
Keywords
pharmacotherapy in elderly patients; drug utilisation; therapeutic guidelines
Hrčak ID:
18862
URI
Publication date:
17.10.2005.
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