last updated 19-03-2024

Adverse effects

Adverse effects

Adverse drug reactions are an all-too-common cause of hospitalisation of elderly people. Elderly are more sensitive than younger people to a variety of drugs acting on the central nervous system. Adverse effects of benzodiazepines increase with increasing age and dose. Another example is an association between age, NSAIDs and peptic ulcer disease.

 

 

See the table below for adverse effects of various drugs:

  • benzodiazepines: sedation, confusion, ataxia
  • NSAIDs: fluid retention, peptic ulcer
  • opioids: sedation, confusion, constipation
  • antiarrhythmics: confusion, urinary retention
  • antipsychotics: dyskinesias, rigidity, confusion, sedation
  • diuretics: dehydration, hyponatremia, glucose intolerance, orthostatic hypotension