Clinical Pharmacology and the Risks of Polypharmacy in the Geriatric Patient.

Elderly people have several characteristics that make them unique. They have several factors such as environmental factors and demographic factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic level, and schooling, which contribute to these differences being accentuated. As one ages, these various organic and systemic features are accentuated. The pace varies between people, and organs and systems suffer from several normal and adverse changes that make them more or less susceptible to diseases and injuries, and the medications are responsible for many of these threats. This article raises awareness about these changes.

[Medical errors in the continuous improvement of quality]. / Errores medicos en el mejoramiento continuo de la calidad.

The increase in medical errors during the last four decades of past centuries can be attributed to several causes: the human fallibility always present, concern in quality and continuity of physician-patient relationship and to the increased advance in technology innovation. These errors attract the attention of Agencies and Organizations involved in Healthcare Quality. From the work of these a series of recommendations were issued for the prevention of medical errors. The action level is a systemic one, due to the characteristic of the healthcare services.