A recent study from the United Kingdome alleges that more than two-thirds of nursing home residents may be victims of medication errors.  

 
Researchers at the School of Pharmacy in London studied a random sample of 256 residents in 55 different nursing homes. The elderly residents took an average of eight medications each.  The researchers found that 169 of the residents had medication errors.  There was an average of 1.9 errors for each of those patients.  Many of the mistakes were not harmful, but the potential for harm is especially high for elderly patients.

 
Because body functions slow down with age, the elderly do not process drugs as efficiently as younger patients. Therefore, dosages for older people may be smaller. Some drugs are not recommended for older patients.  In addition, many times doctors are not aware of all the prescriptions a patient is taking.  This can lead to harmful drug interactions.

 
Medication dispensation errors often occur in nursing homes when staff members are overworked or do not take the time to double check the medications they are dispensing.  Doctors who are unfamiliar with residents are more likely to make prescription mistakes.

 
Signs of medication error include changes in mood, in energy, in attitude, in memory, or in mental function.  Unfortunately, these signs are often dismissed as old age.  But, sudden changes should be investigated.

 
Medication errors are the 5th leading cause of death in the United States.  Read more about preventing medication errors here.