Harmless Over the Counter Medications- are they Truly Harmless for the Elderly?

Drugs available over the counter are often considered to be harmless, as they can be self-prescribed for common ailments or taken as supplements. The range of drugs available over the counter is getting larger and the elderly are the biggest consumers of these presumptive harmless medications. However, the elderly have altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and age related decline in physiological reserves putting them at higher risk of developing complications associated with medication usage. The long list of medications which most elderly take for their comorbid medical conditions also put the elderly at risk of developing complications. The use of over the counter medication may worsen the underlying medical conditions. Caution must always be exercised when considering a new drug for the elderly.

Keywords: acute kidney Injury, elderly, NSAIDS, antihistamines, H1 antagonists, benzodiazepines, adverse drug reactions.