A fully validated list of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) that are commonly problematic for older adults has been published by a multidisciplinary group of experts.
The list, published in the October issue of JAMDA, includes 66 potentially clinically significant DDIs and provides information on potential harm, clinical management and the mechanism of interaction in patients aged 65 years and older.
Most of the interactions involve cardiovascular, antithrombotic and central nervous system drugs, the authors said. Treatment modification is recommended for three-quarters of these DDIs, they noted.
The authors, a panel of geriatricians, pharmacists and other experts from 8 European countries narrowed their list from 154 DDIs found in a scientific literature review. They reached a consensus on the most clinically significant DDIs by scoring the severity of potential harm on a 5-point standardized scale.
“These clinically significant DDIs are particularly important to detect, as they are a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality,” the authors said.
“Although most of the medications involved are not considered potentially inappropriate when taken in isolation, DDIs with these medication classes have been shown to be among the most prevalent DDIs in both hospitalized and community-dwelling older people.”
The list can be found here.
