Here we look at alcohol, pharmaceutical, and illicit drug use among older Australians and offer suggestions for reducing the associated risks.
Drinking can be more harmful for older Australians because:
the body takes longer to break down alcohol as we age
the body can become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects
alcohol causes many chronic health conditions and can make some conditions worse, such as heart disease, dementia, diabetes and cancers)
many medications interact with alcohol
it increases risk of falls and injuries
Risks of pharmaceutical drug use among older adults include:
you can become more sensitive to medication effects as you age
many medicines are addictive even if prescribed (especially medications for pain like opioids, or medications for anxiety and insomnia like benzodiazepines)
medications such as opioids can increase osteoporosis, endocrine (a system made up of glands that make hormones) dysfunction and sexual dysfunction
medications, including over-the-counter medicines, can interact with each other
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