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Alcohol and Aging pp 117–129Cite as

Medications, Alcohol, and Aging

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Abstract

The decision to consume alcohol involves weighing the benefits and risks of alcohol use. For older adults, the risks associated with consuming alcohol may be higher due to changes in physiology associated with aging, the development of chronic health conditions, and the concurrent use of alcohol-interacting medications. Concurrent use of alcohol and certain medication classes can result in falls, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other negative outcomes. Of particular concern are psychoactive medications such as sedatives and opiates, anticoagulants such as warfarin, and antihypertensive agents. Individuals with poor sleep quality and pain may be at increased risk of alcohol–medication interactions when alcohol is used to manage sleep or pain along with prescription or over-the-counter medications. Older adults may not receive adequate information about their medications in the context of alcohol use to make an informed decision about concurrent use. Many older adults do not discuss alcohol use with their healthcare providers and written warnings, such as over-the-counter packaging, may not reflect age-specific recommendations. Raising awareness among consumers and healthcare providers is an important step to assist older adults in making informed decisions about concurrent use of alcohol and medications.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th Street, Smith Room 656A, Box 980533, Richmond, VA, 23298-0533, USA

    Patricia W. Slattum Pharm.D., Ph.D. & Omar E. Hassan B.S.

Authors
  1. Patricia W. Slattum Pharm.D., Ph.D.
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  2. Omar E. Hassan B.S.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia W. Slattum Pharm.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College at the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA

    Alexis Kuerbis

  2. Division of Geriatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, USA

    Alison.A. Moore

  3. School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Paul Sacco

  4. Department of Behavioral & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA

    Faika Zanjani

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Slattum, P.W., Hassan, O.E. (2016). Medications, Alcohol, and Aging. In: Kuerbis, A., Moore, A., Sacco, P., Zanjani, F. (eds) Alcohol and Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47233-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47233-1_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-47231-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-47233-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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