High-value research of 2014 presented for geriatric medicine

(HealthDay)—Articles relating to overtreatment of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and dementia care, as well as reduction of polypharmacy and adverse drug effects, are included in a special update summary published online April 30 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Randall J. Morse, M.D., and Catherine E. DuBeau, M.D., from UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass., reviewed studies from the American College of Physicians' JournalWise list of top articles from 2014 and searched all studies published in 2014 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and Age and Aging.

The authors note that in older patients, patient-centered care requires a deliberate balance of treatment benefit versus risk within the context of multiple comorbid conditions, polypharmacy, heterogeneous life expectancy, and diverse goals of care, ranging from curative to comfort care. The update focuses on avoiding overtreatment in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and dementia care. In addition, the authors summarized studies relating to polypharmacy and adverse drug effects.

"This update summarizes studies published in 2014 that the authors consider highly relevant to the practice of geriatric medicine," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to Pfizer.