Aim: To describe the serious adverse drug reactions (ADR) in elderly subjects aged over 65 years and assess their preventability.
Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at the Regional Pharmacovigilance Center of Champagne-Ardenne (northeast of France) between January and May 2013. Patients aged over 65 years who presented a serious ADR notified to the Regional Pharmacovigilance Center were included in the study.
Results: Over the study period, 100 subjects were included in the study. The sex ratio was 0.96. Twenty seven percent of serious ADR were preventable. Off-label use accounted for 20% and non-compliance for 5%. Bleeding events were the most common serious ADR (36%). The drugs most frequently involved in serious ADR were antithrombotic agents (31.4%).
Conclusion: More than a quarter of serious ADR were preventable. Off-label use and non-compliance are the main causes identified in the occurrence of preventable serious ADR.
© 2015 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.