Pharmacotherapy of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the elderly

Abstract:

Advances in medicine have extended life expectancy and improved quality of life. New diagnostic and therapeutic options have enabled earlier disease detection and better treatment. However on the other hand, has raised the problem of treating an increasing number of chronic patients has been raising. Prevalence of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the general population is 2-3%, but the proportion increases in those >65 years of age. Multimorbidity and polypharmacy complicate the care of the elderly due to increased number of adverse drug reactions and drug-drug interactions. In randomized clinical trials comorbidities are an exclusion criteria that significantly limits the proportion of subjects over 65 years of age. The available data on a limited number of subjects and the extrapolation of results from clinical practice (registries) are not sufficient to determine the efficacy and safety of new drugs in the elderly population with certainty. Further studies are needed for the adoption specific guidelines for management of chronic rheumatic diseases in the elderly.

Key words:
ankylosing spondylitis; elderly; inflammatory rheumatic diseases; pharmacotherapy; psoriatic arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis