Via practica 7-8/2006

EFFECIIVE AND SAFE PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR SENIORS

Elderly patients represent due to theirs usual polymorbidity a group, in which the drug consumption is about the average. on one site drugs offer more and more possibilities, how to help the patient; on the other hand they bring also important risks. the relationship between these „contradictions“ is based on many factors, which are discussed in the paper. looking for ways, how to treat an elderly patient with a greater benefit than risk remains the principal challenge for all, who are involved in the geriatric pharmacological therapy. expected efficacy and safety of gerontopharmacotherapy can not be achieved, if only one directly engaged component of the whole system (physician – patient – society) does not work properly.