Role of Pharmacists in Improving Drug Treatments - Crimson Publishers

 

Role of Pharmacists in Improving Drug Treatments by Conxita Mestres Miralles* in Gerontology & Geriatrics Studies

Problems in pharmacotherapy in elderly patientscan derive in an increase of drug adverse effects, hospitalizations and length of stay, morbidity and mortality. There is a great awareness of this problem and much workhas been done in order to reduce the polypharmacy and improve the quality of the drug prescription in these patients. With this aim, we have different tools and initiatives, being the STOP-START and Beers Criteria those upstanding. However, it is not easy to implement those criteria or to do perform other measures when confronted with complex treatments. Comorbidityand constant worsening of the pathologies in these patients makes very difficult to reduce in the long runthe number of drugs that they have to take. Moreover, new drugs for pathologies that previously had not pharmacologic treatment are constantly marketed.

https://crimsonpublishers.com/ggs/fulltext/GGS.000502.php