When older adults take multiple medications, it’s not just about managing conditions—it’s about avoiding life-threatening mistakes. An elderly medication review, a structured assessment of all drugs a senior is taking to identify risks like interactions, duplications, and inappropriate dosing. Also known as medication reconciliation, it’s a simple process that can prevent hospital visits and even save lives. Many seniors juggle five, ten, or more prescriptions for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and depression. But each new drug adds risk, especially when doctors don’t talk to each other or when pills come from different pharmacies.
One of the biggest dangers is polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications that may interact or cause side effects worse than the conditions they treat. For example, taking tramadol with an antidepressant can lower the seizure threshold, or mixing azithromycin with liver-damaging drugs can push a fragile liver into failure. Even common OTC painkillers like acetaminophen—hidden in cold meds, sleep aids, and combo pills—can cause liver injury if not tracked. And let’s not forget supplements: licorice root can cancel out blood pressure meds, and herbal products often interact silently with prescription drugs. These aren’t rare cases. They happen every day because no one stopped to ask: "What’s this person really taking?"
geriatric pharmacology, how drugs behave differently in older bodies due to slower metabolism, reduced kidney function, and changing body composition explains why a dose that’s fine for a 40-year-old can be toxic for a 75-year-old. Kidneys and liver don’t work the same after 65. That’s why renal dosing for antibiotics matters, why statin side effects like muscle pain are more common, and why splitting doses can help reduce peak drug levels safely. It’s not just about what’s prescribed—it’s about whether the body can still handle it.
You don’t need a PhD to do a basic elderly medication review. Start with a list: every pill, patch, cream, and supplement. Check for duplicates—like taking both ibuprofen and a combo cold med that already has it. Look for red flags: dizziness, confusion, falls, or new stomach issues after starting a new drug. Talk to a pharmacist. Bring the list to every doctor visit. Ask: "Is this still needed?" and "Could this interact with anything else?" The goal isn’t to stop everything—it’s to stop what’s hurting more than helping.
Below, you’ll find real, practical guides on the most common risks seniors face: from dangerous drug combos and hidden ingredients in OTC pills, to how to check if your meds are safe and what to do when side effects show up. These aren’t theory pieces—they’re tools you can use today to protect someone you care about.
