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Title: ADEs in the elderly

Category: Geriatrics

Keywords: adverse drug effects, side effects, interactions (PubMed Search)

Posted: 3/7/2011 by Amal Mattu, MD (Updated: 7/21/2026)

Adverse drug effects are a major issue in geriatrics.
Elderly patients take, on average, 5 prescription medications + 2 over-the-counter medications.
Adverse drug effects account for approximately 5% of all hospital admissions.
Nearly 20% of patients brought to the ED for psychiatric complaints have symptoms that are primarily caused by medication effects.

Be very wary whenever prescribing ANY new medications for even a short time to elderly patients.

References



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