Four Medications Linked To Most Emergency Hospitalizations For Older Americans.
The New York Times 
(11/24, O’Connor, Subscription Publication) “Well” blog reported, “Blood thinners and diabetes drugs cause most emergency hospital visits for drug reactions among people over 65 in the United States,” according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers found that “just four medications or medication groups — used alone or together — were responsible for two-thirds of emergency hospitalizations among older Americans.” The investigators looked at data from 58 “hospitals…participating in a surveillance project run by the C.D.C. that looks at adverse drug events.”
(11/24, O’Connor, Subscription Publication) “Well” blog reported, “Blood thinners and diabetes drugs cause most emergency hospital visits for drug reactions among people over 65 in the United States,” according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers found that “just four medications or medication groups — used alone or together — were responsible for two-thirds of emergency hospitalizations among older Americans.” The investigators looked at data from 58 “hospitals…participating in a surveillance project run by the C.D.C. that looks at adverse drug events.”
The National Journal (11/24, Quinton, Subscription Publication) reported that the researchers found that “forty-six percent of hospitalizations involved medicines used to prevent blood clots; a single anticoagulant, warfarin, was responsible for one-third of hospitalizations, the report found. Another 25 percent involved diabetes medications, either insulin injections or medicines taken by mouth.”
(11/24, Quinton, Subscription Publication) reported that the researchers found that “forty-six percent of hospitalizations involved medicines used to prevent blood clots; a single anticoagulant, warfarin, was responsible for one-third of hospitalizations, the report found. Another 25 percent involved diabetes medications, either insulin injections or medicines taken by mouth.”
WebMD (11/24, Doheny) reported, “The researchers estimated that 265,802 visits to emergency departments for adverse drug events occurred from 2007 to 2009 for adults 65 or older.” More than “a third of these visits, or nearly 100,000, required hospitalization.” The investigators found that “unintentional overdose of medication was the most common reason, accounting for nearly two-thirds of hospitalizations.”
(11/24, Doheny) reported, “The researchers estimated that 265,802 visits to emergency departments for adverse drug events occurred from 2007 to 2009 for adults 65 or older.” More than “a third of these visits, or nearly 100,000, required hospitalization.” The investigators found that “unintentional overdose of medication was the most common reason, accounting for nearly two-thirds of hospitalizations.”
Also covering the story were the Wall Street Journal (11/24, Martin, Subscription Publication) “Health Blog,” Modern Healthcare (11/24, McKinney, Subscription Publication), HealthDay (11/24, Goodwin), MedPage Today (11/24, Smith), and Medscape (11/24, Lowes).