Web Site Educates Seniors on Prescription Drugs

The NIHSeniorHealth Web site(http://nihseniorhealth.gov) providesseniors with information about thesafe use of medicines, including howmedicines act in the body, how to takemedication safely, and research onnew medicines.

Studies have shown that individuals65 years and older take more prescriptionand OTC drugs than any otherage group in the United States.Seniors tend to have more chronic illnesses,such as arthritis, diabetes, highblood pressure, and heart disease.

"Many older Americans owe theirhealth in part to new and improvedmedicines. But using them may beriskier for older adults, especially whenseveral medicines are used at onetime," said Jeremy M. Berg, director ofthe National Institute of General MedicalSciences, which developed theWeb site's information about the safeuse of medicines.