The New Zealand medical journal
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Elderly are the most vulnerable population group owing to increased prevalence of chronic diseases and drug consumption. Several characteristics of aging and geriatrics medicine affect drug prescribing for elderly. Thus the selection of appropriate pharmacotherapy for elderly becomes a complex and challenging process. ⋯ The objective of this article is to understand the concept, causes and measurement of medication errors in elderly. Various interventions to improve drug prescribing such as educational approaches, geriatric medicine services, computerised prescribing and multifaceted approaches have also been highlighted. In conclusion there is an overwhelming need for optimising the prescribing in elderly through an integrated approach involving physician, pharmacologist, pharmacist and the patient himself.
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To evaluate the introduction of an early warning score (EWS) system on incidence of in-hospital adult cardiac arrest. ⋯ Introduction of an EWS system in addition to an existing cardiac arrest team response decreased the incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrests in a tertiary hospital in New Zealand.