Calls for Medical Training Review - Ireland

Age Action calls for medical training review in wake of findings of studies

03/03/2008

Age Action has called for a review of the on-going pharmacological training received by doctors dealing with older patients, in the wake of the two separate studies which found that older patients were receiving inappropriate medications.
The older people’s charity issued its call in the wake of a new study, published in the current edition of Age and Ageing, which found that one-third of patients aged over-65 admitted to Cork University Hospital’s accident and emergency department were on inappropriate medication. Of these, 16% had suffered adverse effects such as falls, kidney failure and gastrointestinal bleeding as a result of the inappropriate medication.
This follows a separate study, details of which were published last week, that a large number of older people in nursing homes were inappropriately being prescribed antipsychotic drugs which can increase mortality, heart attacks and strokes. Such drugs are often used inappropriately to sedate patients.
“The medical profession must act, as a matter of urgency, to address the issues raised by these two studies,” Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said. “Failure to do so would seriously undermine public confidence in the profession.

“When somebody is given a prescription by their GP they presume they are receiving a medication which is the most appropriate for them and which is safe. These two studies suggest that this is not the case for the minority of older people surveyed. The causes of such inappropriate prescribing must be identified and addressed in order to reassure the public.”


SOURCE: ageactionIreland




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