A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF ADVERSE DRUG-REACT IONS AMONG HOSPITALIZED ELDERS

Background: It is not clear-if old age is a risk factor for adverse dr ug reactions. Aim To study the incidence of adverse drug reactions and the effect of age in patients admitted to an Internal Medicine Servic e in an university hospital. Patients and methods: Two hundred one pat ients, hospitalized at the Clinical Hospital of the Catholic Universit y, were studied. These patients were followed using a prospective phar macological surveillance method. For statistical purposes, patients ag ed 65 years old or older were compared with those younger than 65 year s old. Results: Patients over 65 years old had a 33% incidence of adve rse drug reactions mainly involving cardiovascular system and provokin g metabolic disturbances. Younger subjects had a 24% incidence of adve rse drug reactions, mainly involving the gastrointestinal system and t he skin. Sixteen percent of adverse drug reactions were classified as severe and there was a direct relationship between its frequency and t he number of drugs prescribed, the hospitalization length and the pres ence of renal failure. Younger patients with adverse drug reactions ha d lower serum albumin levels than those without adverse reactions. Thi s relationship was not observed ira older patients. Conclusions: The f requency of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients, is relate d to the number of drugs prescribed and the length of hospitalization.