OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prescription drug use in the elderly and in particular, 
to determine the number and types of medications taken, whether and to what 
extent drugs that are contraindicated in this age group are being used, and what 
type of prescription check may be performed by primary care physicians.
DESIGN: A survey was performed in a sample of non-institutionalised elderly 
subjects (= 65 years). These were selected by cluster sampling in 11 of 20 
Italian regions and were interviewed in the home by trained interviewers using a 
standardised questionnaire.
RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of interviewed subjects reported that they had 
taken at least one medication in the previous year; higher frequencies were 
found in age groups= 75 years. The most common therapeutic classes of drugs used 
in all participating regions, in the previous week, were cardiovascular, 
gastrointestinal, metabolic (including drugs to treat diabetes) and nervous 
system. Among interviewed subjects, 45.3% reported using 4 or more different 
drugs, though wide regional differences were observed (Campania 60.5%, Bolzano 
35.6%); 7.2 % were taking potentially inappropriate drugs while 2.3% were taking 
medications that may lead to potentially harmful interactions. In addition, 
84.9% of subjects reported that their primary care physician regularly checked 
their drug prescriptions.
CONCLUSIONS: The high frequency of prescription drug use observed in the elderly 
is a diffuse phenomenon, related to the worsening health conditions that 
inevitably accompany aging. Considering the extent of this phenomenon, care 
should be taken to improve qualitative (i.e. contraindications in the elderly, 
potential drug-interactions) and quantitative (high number of medications taken 
by the elderly) appropriateness in physician prescribing. In addition, special 
attention must be placed on regularly checking drug therapies in the elderly.