ABSTRACT
Statistics regarding medication use in older adults are impressive. Although they make up only 13 percent of the American population, patients over 65 years account for 30 percent of the use of prescription medications.1 The average individual over the age of 65 fills 13 prescriptions each year, which is almost twice the national average.1 In the geriatric population, prescription medication is complicated by frequent use of over-the-counter and herbal preparations (often seen as a way to save money on a limited budget). As many as 10 percent of the elderly use medications prescribed for other people, and 20 percent take medications not currently prescribed by a clinician.2
