Generally, older people are at a higher risk for medication-related problems because they have more chronic conditions and are taking more medications. At least 243,000 seniors end up in the hospital each year due to adverse reactions caused by the combination of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

Whenever two or more medications are taken concurrently, there is a chance that there will be an interaction among the drugs. The interaction may increase or decrease the effectiveness or the side effects of the drugs. It also may result in a new side effect not seen with the use of any one drug alone. For seniors, such side effects may include depression, confusion, falls and even death.

Doctors stress the need for seniors to be aware of the way different medications interact with one another, as well as their impact on a variety of medical conditions. The Quigley Corp. recently joined the National Council on the Aging in launching a public awareness campaign called “Seniors and Medicine: Proper Use for Good Health” to educate seniors about drug interactions and possible side effects of many popular OTC remedies.