It\u2019s not unusual for people to be prescribed the same medications for years \u2014 or even decades. But what patients often don\u2019t realize is that your medication sensitivity can change over those years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can be something you\u2019ve taken for years, but suddenly you react to it differently,\u201d says Ghada Ashkar, PharmD, associate chief of ambulatory pharmacy at UCLA Health. \u201cIt\u2019s important to notice these changes and bring them to your doctor\u2019s attention.\u201d<\/p>\n
How aging affects your medication needs<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that your body at 70 doesn\u2019t work the same as it did at 30. You may make certain accommodations for physical changes that limit your mobility<\/a> or endurance. You may have altered your diet to better suit an aging digestive system. And yet, you likely haven\u2019t thought twice about your medications.<\/p>\n \u201cLots of things change that affect how your body absorbs and metabolizes medication as you get older,\u201d explains Dr. Ashkar. One change is that your digestive system may slow down how quickly it processes drugs you ingest.<\/p>\n Your kidneys and liver play vital roles in metabolizing medications. If those organs are no longer functioning at 100% efficiency, it changes the way your body handles medications.<\/p>\n \u201cThe liver is responsible for breaking down and metabolizing medications so the body can either activate or eliminate them,\u201d says Dr. Ashkar. \u201cAnd the kidneys\u2019 job is to excrete the drugs in the urine to get rid of what your body doesn\u2019t need.\u201d<\/p>\n The combination of these physical changes can mean that medication stays in your system longer and causes more side effects. If you gained or lost weight with age \u2014 or drastically altered your activity levels \u2014 that can also impact how medication affects you.<\/p>\n The problem of polypharmacy<\/p>\n Polypharmacy<\/a> is a fancy word for someone who routinely takes five or more prescription medications. Taking multiple medications becomes more common with age \u2014 with an estimated one-third of older adults falling into this category.<\/p>\n \u201cThe more medications you\u2019re taking on a daily basis, the more likely you are to experience negative drug interactions and other side effects,\u201d says Dr. Ashkar. If you are 65 or older and taking more medications than you used to, that risk increases.<\/p>\n Warning signs of medication interactions and side effects<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re taking just one medication or half a dozen, a new prescription or one you\u2019ve been on for years, it\u2019s important to stay alert to how it makes you feel.<\/p>\n Be on the lookout for new or changing symptoms that may be related to your medications. These can include:<\/p>\n Getting help to manage medications more safely<\/p>\n Use your doctors\u2019 appointments as a chance to discuss your medications and how they\u2019re making you feel. At least once a year, work with your doctor to evaluate the medications<\/a> you\u2019re taking. It\u2019s possible there are some you no longer need to be on. And there may be better alternatives for others that are starting to cause side effects.<\/p>\n\n