The geriatric patient: Considering the needs of the majority of drug users in drug product design

摘要

The dramatic changes in the demographics will increase the number of elderly people in the next coming decades from 10 % to 20% of the population, which is considered of one of the biggest challenge for our society [www.earthtrends.wri.orql.Various physiological, biological, physical and social functions are changing with age. Focused on the average adult population, the needs of the increasingly heterogeneous patient group of the people 65 years and older are poorly considered. Poor adherence and failing medication management by elderly is many times based on simple inappropriate drugs, dosage forms, packaging, information leaflets and the lag of use of cognitive and medication management tools.With 30 - 50 % of all prescription drugs elderly patients represent the majority of drug users. Polypharmacy increases with age and 57 % of people > 65 years take ≥ 5 and 12 % ≥ 10 different drugs per day.Geriatric medicine and mediation management is a multidisciplinary task that involves all stakeholders, including the patient, clinicians, physician, pharmacist, nurse, pharmaceutical industry and sciences and health care providers and policy makers. The 'Geriatric Medicines Initiative' was founded as a network framework aiming for more appropriate qeriatric medicines.