Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Glaucoma affects more than 3 million Americans, according to the NIH, and daily eye drops are the primary treatment to prevent irreversible vision loss. The biggest barrier is not the medication itself but the physical difficulty of administering drops correctly, which means practical
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified endocrinology specialist Thyroid medication has one of the narrowest therapeutic windows of any common prescription. Too little leaves your parent exhausted and gaining weight. Too much triggers heart palpitations, anxiety, and dangerous arrhythmias. The American Thyroid Association estimates that hypothyroidism affects up to 20 percent of
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. Maria Chen, PharmD Infections in older adults are more dangerous, antibiotics work differently in aging bodies, and the risk of complications like C. difficile is significantly higher. Adults over 65 account for roughly 60% of all hospitalizations for infections, according to the CDC. Understanding how antibiotics interact
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Diuretics remove excess fluid from the body, but they also deplete potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, creating a chain of side effects that includes muscle weakness, confusion, falls, and dehydration. Regular blood work to monitor electrolytes and consistent communication with the doctor about
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatric medicine specialist Statins are among the most prescribed medications in the United States, yet for adults over 75, the evidence for starting one is far less clear than for younger patients. The American Heart Association recommends individualizing statin decisions in adults over 75 rather than
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Rachel Torres, LCSW Depression affects an estimated 7 million Americans over 65, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and it responds well to treatment in most cases. SSRIs are the safest first-line medication choice for older adults, but they take two to six weeks to work
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Heart failure affects approximately 6.7 million Americans, according to the American Heart Association, and your parent will likely take four or five medications that each address a different part of how the heart works. Understanding what each drug does, monitoring daily weight
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. Maria Chen, PharmD Benzodiazepines like lorazepam and alprazolam work fast for anxiety but dramatically increase fall risk, cause cognitive impairment, and are addictive in older adults. The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria recommends avoiding them entirely in this age group. Safer alternatives, including SSRIs, buspirone, and therapy,
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. More than 25% of Americans over 65 have diabetes, according to the CDC, and the treatment goals for older adults are deliberately less aggressive than for younger patients. Preventing dangerous low blood sugar episodes matters more than achieving perfect numbers, and simpler medication
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatric pharmacist Osteoporosis medication is one of the hardest sells in your parent's medicine cabinet. There is no immediate payoff, no number dropping on a monitor, no symptom disappearing overnight. Your parent takes a pill for years hoping a fracture never happens. The FDA-approved
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatric pharmacist Sleep medications are among the most commonly prescribed and most dangerous drugs for adults over 65. The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria flags nearly every major class of sleep aid as potentially inappropriate for older adults because of fall risk, cognitive impairment, and dependence.
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Nearly 75% of adults over 65 have high blood pressure, according to the CDC, and most take at least one medication for it. The challenge with older adults is that blood pressure medication must control the numbers without causing dizziness, falls, or interactions