The number of hospitalisations in the US among people aged 45 and older for medication and drug-related conditions has doubled between 1997 and 2008, research suggests.
A report released by the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality analysed hospital admissions for prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and illicit drugs.
The number of hospital admissions for all medication and drug-related conditions for people in the aged 45-65 increased by 117%, rising from 30,100 to 65,400, it said.
Hospitalisations for people aged 65-84 increased by 96%, while hospitalisations for people aged 85 and older increased by 85%.
However, the number of hospitalisations for these conditions among adults aged 18-44 decreased by 11%.
The report also shows that Medicare and Medicaid paid 57% of the $1.1bn cost to hospitals in 2008 for the treatment of patients with medication and drug-related conditions.
Of the remainder, private insurance covered 24%, about 14% were uninsured and 5% was paid for by other sources.
