Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Australasian Journal on Ageing
ISSN
14406381
Volume
39
Issue
3
First Page
287
Last Page
291
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
31160
Abstract
Objective:
To describe the use of medications that interact with alcohol or for which alcohol reduces the medication's efficacy in older adults consuming alcohol at hazardous levels.
Method:
Retrospective file audit of patients discharged from Australia's only older adult-specific alcohol and other drug treatment service.
Results:
Seventy-two patients aged between 58 years and 87 years (M = 65.88; SD = 5.67) drinking alcohol at hazardous or harmful levels were taking between 1 and 12 pharmaceutical drugs (M = 4.03; SD = 2.42). The majority (92%) of patients were taking at least one medication that placed them at high risk of serious adverse side effects when consumed with alcohol. The efficacy of most patients’ (97%) medication was deemed to be significantly reduced when consumed with alcohol.
Conclusions:
Among older adults who consume alcohol at hazardous levels, many take prescribed medications that adversely interact with alcohol or have reduced efficacy when consumed alongside alcohol. Targeted education is required for patients and health-care workers to mitigate these risks.
DOI
10.1111/ajag.12756
Comments
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Bright, S., Milroy, J., Walsh, K., & Blatchford, E. (2020). Medication use among older Australians seeking alcohol and other drug treatment. Australasian Journal on Ageing, 39(3), 287-291, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12756. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions.