Achieving appropriate medication for older adults: A multidimensional perspective

Abstract

Highlights  Polypharmacy has a multifactorial aetiology and, therefore, requires a multidimensional approach.  Drug RTCs must overcome barriers to include older people so they can be representative and informative.  Drug design must take into consideration older people's needs and preferences from its inception.  Regulation will enforce patient-centric drug design.  In an age of conflicting guidelines, the individual patient must remain at the centre of care.  Clinical decision support systems can effectively help clinicians to tailor medication to patients' needs.  Seamless communication and involving patients and their carers in the review process is central to achieve appropriate medication in older people.

3D Printing: An Emerging Technology for Biocatalyst Immobilization

“…As medicines become increasingly accessible, it has now become a reality that an average person will consume countless medicines across their life, a trend that increases in parallel with age. [ 147–149 ] This trend can be seen by the presence of pharmaceuticals and their subproducts in the vast majority of aquatic environments, extending from the city water supply, surface aqueous environments, groundwater, sea water, and wastewater. [ 150 ] As such, multiple proposed methods for drug removal have come forwards, such as sludge processes; biofiltration; reverse osmosis; ozonation; chlorination; and nanofiltration.…”

Acceptability of generic versus innovator oral medicines: not only a matter of taste

“…Given the supposed interchangeability of (generic) drugs, it is possible for a different formulation to be supplied on different occasions (or between different pharmacies). This can lead to frequent changes to the type, appearance, storage, dosing, administration requirements [24], or organoleptic properties of medicines dispensed to the individual, which can lead to confusion and present a further barrier to adherence. There is an additional risk of medication error, should the patient take more than one formulation of the same API at the same time, with obvious therapeutic and toxicological sequalae.…”

A customizable 3D printed device for enzymatic removal of drugs in water

“…It is now common, and almost expected, that an individual will take dozens of medicines in their lifetime, especially with advancing age (Age UK, 2019;Mieiro et al, 2019;National Center for Health Statistics, 2019). As more medicines are consumed, more are consequentially excreted or disposed of, often permeating the world's water.…”