Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a major problem among older adults who present to the Emergency Department. ADEs come in 5 types. 1 in 6 hospitalizations among older adults involves an ADE, and half of the hospitalizations for ADEs are deemed preventable. What medications should be used with caution or avoided in older adults? What are safer alternatives? In this podcast we discuss the types of ADEs, which patients are at greatest risk, the highest risk medications, alternatives to the high-risk medications, and ways to prevent ADEs. Leah Hatfield, an ED pharmacist, shares her wisdom.

References:
1. By the American Geriatrics Society 2015 Beers Criteria Update Expert Panel. American geriatrics society 2015 updated beers criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015.
2. Hanlon JT, Semla TP, Schmader KE. Alternative medications for medications in the use of high-risk medications in the elderly and potentially harmful drug-disease interactions in the elderly quality measures. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015.
3. Alhawassi TM, Krass I, Bajorek BV, Pont LG. A systematic review of the prevalence and risk factors for adverse drug reactions in the elderly in the acute care setting. Clin Interv Aging. 2014;9:2079-2086.
4. Pretorius RW, Gataric G, Swedlund SK, Miller JR. Reducing the risk of adverse drug events in older adults. Am Fam Physician. 2013;87(5):331-336.
5. Passarelli MC, Jacob-Filho W, Figueras A. Adverse drug reactions in an elderly hospitalised population: Inappropriate prescription is a leading cause. Drugs Aging. 2005;22(9):767-777.
6. Saedder EA, Lisby M, Nielsen LP, Bonnerup DK, Brock B. Number of drugs most frequently found to be independent risk factors for serious adverse reactions: A systematic literature review. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2015;80(4):808-817.

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