Learning Journal 23

Answers to questions from previous journal entries:
I found it very difficult to find answers to the questions about time release medications. I might be looking for information in the wrong place.

New information found:
In a study that I found, a physician had looked at different factors that contribute to what he called adverse drug events. These are events that are harmful to a patient as a result of the medications they were taking. For example, falls, fractures, cognitive dysfunction, postural hypotension, electrolyte disorders and cardiac failure are events that could be caused by adverse drug effects. These events make up 23% of hospital visits in the elderly according to his sources. Also, he found that of all adverse drug effects in the elderly, 15-20% of them were due to drug-to-drug interactions.

The factors that increase the likelihood of adverse drug events are a higher number of drugs taken, older age, potentially inappropriate prescriptions, and others.

I started by looking into 'potentially inappropriate prescriptions' and it turns out that is an important key-phrase. When I began searching for articles using this phrase, I found a ton of information where I thought there was none. Apparently there are pretty widely accepted lists of potentially inappropriate prescriptions for adults age 65 and older.

New questions from this information:
How are the lists of potentially inappropriate prescriptions used?
Is it up to an individual physician to review it and make sure he is in compliance with it?
Are there policies being made to regulate prescribing drugs on the list? 

Keywords: potentially inappropriate prescriptions, drug prescribing policies