Overmedication: A Hazard for Elders

Overmedication: A Hazard for Elders is organized by ATrain Education, Inc.. This CME Conference has been approved for a maximum of 2 Contact hours.

Expiration date: August 1, 2025

Course Summary:
Outlines the serious and often life-threatening problem of polypharmacy in elders, including the increased risk for falls. Pharmacodynamics is explained in the context of the geriatric population. Beers criteria, used to identify inappropriate medications for older adults, is introduced. Includes measures to improve medication management and to enhance compliance.

Course Objectives:
When you finish this course you will be able to*:

• Identify the problem of polypharmacy in elders and summarize the risks of multiple medications.
• Discuss physiologic changes of aging that impact the efficacy of medications and distinguish between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
• Explain the Beers criteria and additional screening strategies for identifying inappropriate medications for older adults.
• Identify adverse results of polypharmacy.
• Relate polypharmacy to the risk for falls in older adults.
• List ways of improving medication management for elders.