How does substance abuse manifest in older adults?

Signs of possible substance misuse among older adults may include physical symptoms such as injuries, increased tolerance to medication, blackouts, and cognitive impairment. Psychiatric symptoms that may suggest a problem with substance misuse include sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and mood swings.

What drug is most commonly abused by older adults?

Alcohol Use Despite increasing rates of illicit and prescription drug misuse among adults older than 65 years,5,6,10 alcohol remains the most commonly used substance among older adults.

Why do older people take more drugs?

Older people tend to take more drugs than younger people because they are more likely to have more than one chronic medical disorder, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or arthritis. Most drugs used by older people for chronic disorders are taken for years.

Why is detection of substance use disorders in older adults so difficult?

Substance use disorders are difficult to recognize in older adults due to medical comorbidity, neurocognitive impairment, and functional decline. Older adults are also more susceptible to drug effects due to decreased hepatic and renal clearance of the substances.

What is a characteristic of alcohol use in the elderly?

Background. Understanding alcohol use among older adults is critical because extended exposure to substances is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing disability, cognitive impairment, noncommunicable diseases, falls, memory loss, and psychological and social isolation problems in old age [1].

How is alcohol use disorder in the elderly treated?

Elderly subjects with chronic alcohol abuse are more vulnerable to the onset of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Symptoms and signs of ALD and its complications are similar to those seen in patients of all ages, and treatment is mainly focused on alcohol abstinence (Seitz and Stickel, 2007).

How does alcohol affect the elderly?

Aging can lower the body’s tolerance for alcohol. Older adults generally experience the effects of alcohol more quickly than when they were younger. This puts older adults at higher risks for falls, car crashes, and other unintentional injuries that may result from drinking.

Why do older people abuse alcohol?

Alcohol use often declines in older age but older people may be at risk of developing problem drinking – alcohol abuse or dependency – often triggered by significant life events such as loss of a loved one, loneliness, retirement, insomnia, illness or pain.

Why is it harder to drink as you get older?

High blood alcohol concentration: As we age, muscle mass is replaced by fat tissue. This means that an older person who drinks the same amount as someone younger will generally have a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The amount of water in our body also goes down with age, contributing to higher BAC.

How does alcoholism affect the elderly?

Besides the increased safety concerns alcohol brings to adults aged 65 and older, it can cause numerous health problems, and increase the risks for and consequences of conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver and bone problems, memory issues and other neurological complications.

Does alcohol make you age more?

The short answer: yes. While the occasional drink with friends might not hurt, evidence suggests there is a strong relationship between alcohol and aging. Drinking too much can cause wrinkly skin, redness, and a dry complexion–and that’s only the beginning.