Potential drug interactions in elderly cancer patients

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