Critical Reviews in Oncology / Hematology
Volume 78, Issue 3 , Pages 220-226, June 2011

Potential drug interactions in elderly cancer patients

  • V. Girre

      Affiliations

    • Institut Curie, Department of Medical Oncology, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +33 1 44 32 46 88; fax: +33 1 53 10 40 41.
  • ,
  • H. Arkoub

      Affiliations

    • Institut Curie, Department of Medical Oncology, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
  • ,
  • M.T.E. Puts

      Affiliations

    • Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
  • ,
  • C. Vantelon

      Affiliations

    • Institut Curie, Department of Medical Oncology, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
    • Hôpital Georges Pompidou, Department of Gerontology, Paris, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
  • ,
  • F. Blanchard

      Affiliations

    • University Hospitals of Reims, Department of Clinical Gerontology, Reims, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
  • ,
  • J.P. Droz

      Affiliations

    • Centre Leon Berard, Department of Medical Oncology, Lyon, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).
  • ,
  • L. Mignot

      Affiliations

    • Institut Curie, Department of Medical Oncology, 26, rue d’Ulm, 75005 Paris, France
    • On behalf of the POGOP (Programme Onco-Gériatrie de l’Ouest Parisien).

Accepted 5 May 2010. published online 02 July 2010.

Abstract 

Introduction

Drug interaction constitutes a major challenge in elderly cancer patients. This study investigated the number and types of medications patients and potential drug interactions in these patients.

Methods

Treatments received by 105 cancer outpatients aged ≥70 years were analyzed using the French Thesaurus to identify drug–drug interactions according to four levels: contraindication, concomitant use not recommended, concomitant medications requiring precautions and concomitant medications to be taken into account.

Results

The mean number of medications per patient was 4.7 (range: 0–14). Among 97 patients taking ≥2 drugs, 45 potential interactions were identified, occurring in 32 patients. No contraindication, 2 cases of concomitant use not recommended, 9 cases requiring precautions (20%) and 34 cases of concomitant medications to be taken into account were identified. Drug interactions caused respiratory distress and increased bleeding risk.

Conclusion

Drug interactions are common in the elderly, but almost half of interactions were moderate.

Keywords: Polypharmacy, Elderly, Cancer, Drug therapy, Drug interactions

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PII: S1040-8428(10)00124-1

doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2010.05.004

Critical Reviews in Oncology / Hematology
Volume 78, Issue 3 , Pages 220-226, June 2011