Geriatrics Toolbox is our blog offering tools, resources, and insights into the care of older adults.
Sep
15
Health Literacy: An Update
Posted by H. Edward Davidson, PharmD, MPH in Health Literacy
Improving health literacy means improving all the ways we communicate with patients, including prescription drug labeling. The Institute of Medicine's new document, "Health Literacy: Past, Present, and Future," references USP's groundbreaking recommendations calling for patient-centered prescription drug labeling.
Which medicines to stop in people with dementia
Posted in Clinical Care
There are some questions over which medications to stop in older adults with dementia. Inappropriate medications in someone with dementia include medicines which: are unlikely to provide benefit, may cause harm, add unnecessary complexity to daily care routines, and/or waste valuable time and money.
Don’t forget about Influenza
Posted in Clinical Care
Don’t forget about Influenza It’s that time of year again—flu season. The 2011-2012 influenza season set a new record for the lowest and shortest peak of influenza-like illness.
Polypharmacy. A Concise Summary
Posted in Medications
Polypharmacy can be defined several different ways. The simplest definition is “concurrent use of many different drugs, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medicine, complementary and alternative medications, and dietary supplements.”
Keep an Eye on the Kidneys
Posted in Clinical Care
As people age, their ability to filter blood, called the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreases. Drugs that are eliminated by the kidney can accumulate with declining GFR.