Drug side effects damage elderly

Older people may be suffering long-term or recurring health problems and having to return to hospital repeatedly because of the side effect of drugs, according to a 20-year Western Australian study.

The research into hospital records of people aged 60 and over found a growing proportion of hospital treatments for drug reactions were readmissions, which accounted for 30% of all such hospitalisations by 2003.

The study also found that people in the late 1990s had more than double the chance of being admitted to hospital two or more times because of the drug reaction compared with those admitted in the early 1980s.

Patients with cancer, kidney disease, or diabetes were twice as likely to be readmitted as people with fewer complications.

Lead researcher Dr Min Zhang, of the University of Western Australia, said drug reactions accounted for up to 10% of inpatient costs. The growing use of medicines was generally the main reason, with older people increasing their medicine use by 5% in 2001, Dr Zhang said.