Pain Medication and the Elderly
By Jill Gonzalez
As people age, they generally develop a variety of medical problems that require the regular use of medication (prescription and over the counter). Unfortunately, there are a number of risks associated with the use of multiple medications, particularly over an extended period of time.
Senior citizens account for approximately one quarter of the prescription drugs that are sold in the United States, and that number continues to rise every year. Most drugs for the elderly are prescribed for conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, and chronic pain. Unfortunately, it is very easy for overuse to occur with the types of medications.
When using several different types of medications, there is always an increased risk of negative effects due to drug interactions. While your doctor should be able to alert you to any potential problems with the medications he or she is prescribing, you should realize that doctors do not necessarily always alert their patients to these types of issues. To be safe, you should always ask your pharmacist if any of your medications are going to interact with one another.
The other problem that exists is the possibility of developing an addiction. The likelihood of this is especially great when pain medications are prescribed to the elderly on a regular basis. In regulating chronic pain, it is very common for individuals to gradually need increased dosages of their medications in order to feel the same sense of relief. If this continues for an extended period of time a physical dependency, and sometimes a psychological addiction, may develop.
In addition to drug interactions and addiction, simply monitoring pain medication among the elderly can be a great task all by itself. As people age, their bodies go through a variety of physiological changes that alter the way they are able to process medications. Metabolism slows down, the kidneys become smaller in size, and there is a greater chance of gastrointestinal bleeding. These factors can all play a critical role in determining whether a particular drug (or the long-term use of a drug) is safe for an elderly person.
The elderly are also at a greater risk for experiencing side effects from medications. Even something as basic as acetaminophen (the main ingredient in Tylenol®) can produce toxic effects more rapidly than it might in a younger adult. Older adults need to be aware of these increased risks that are associated with drugs, both over the counter and prescription, so that they can discuss their options with their doctor.
If you know an elderly person who is addicted to prescription drugs, the safest way to handle the situation is to convince them to seek the assistance of a substance abuse professional.
