[Adaptations of psychotropic drugs in patients aged 75 years and older in a departement of geriatric internal medecine: report of 100 cases].

The elderly often with multiple diseases are particularly at risk from adverse drug reactions. Nearly half of iatrogenic drug in the elderly are preventable. Some medications such as psychotropic drugs are particularly involved in iatrogenic accidents.

Validation of an acute pain-behavior scale for older persons with inability to communicate verbally: Algoplus.

To compensate for poor acute pain detection in elderly inpatients with inability to communicate verbally (ICV), the Doloplus Collective team devised the 5-item Algoplus behavior-assessment scale specifically aimed at quickly detecting acute pain in these individuals. Algoplus was developed in three successive phases, including expert opinions, caregivers interviews, patient video recordings and statistical procedures. Among the 1500 recorded primary pain behaviors, 48 were selected and clustered into a 5-item scale.

[Neuropathic pain in the elderly].

Neuropathic pain is characterized by a heavier intensity and a longer duration than in non-neuropathic chronic pain. Its frequency is estimated around 9% of the population aged 65 years and over. Diabetes, shingles, cancer, surgery, radiculopathies or stroke are frequent in elderly and may lead to neuropathic pain.