Adverse drug reactions in an elderly hospitalised population: inappropriate prescription is a leading cause.

Objective: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a major public health problem in the aged. In order to better evaluate this problem in Brazil, this study was designed to assess the prevalence of ADRs in an elderly hospitalised population, identify the most common ADRs and the principal medications involved, evaluate the appropriateness of use of these drugs in elderly people and determine the risk factors implicated in the appearance of such ADRs.

Methods: The study population was comprised of 186 elderly patients (> or =60 years of age) admitted to the internal medicine service of a teaching hospital.