4

Number of medications that account for two-thirds of drug-related emergency hospitalizations of older Americans, according to a recent study. Researchers looked at 5,077 cases of drug-related adverse events occurring in adults aged 65 or older from 2007 to 2009. Nearly half of all hospitalizations involved seniors 80 or older, and 66% were the result of unintentional overdoses. The four types of medications most often cited in emergency hospitalizations were: warfarin (33%), a blood thinner; insulin (14%), used to control blood sugar in diabetes patients; antiplatelet drugs like aspirin or Plavix (13%), used to prevent clots; and oral diabetes medications (11%). With blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs, bleeding was the main problem; with the diabetes drugs, it was mental effects like confusion, loss of consciousness and seizures. [via HealthDay]