China has entered an aging society, and as people of all kinds grow older, especially in old age, there are more and more diseases and complications, so the safety of medication for the elderly is becoming more and more prominent. Today, we will talk about the safety of medication for the elderly. After the human body enters the ageing stage, the functional cells of all organs tend to apoptosis or atrophy, and their corresponding physiological functions also decline. It is estimated that the number of cells in the lungs, kidneys, brain and muscles of 70-year-olds is roughly equivalent to about 60% of that of 20-year-olds. Studies have shown that the cardiac output of 80-year-olds decreases by about 35% compared to that of adults. With lower cardiac output, the blood flow to the organs is reduced, and insufficient blood supply will affect the function of the organs. In addition, atherosclerosis is another important feature of the aging cardiovascular system. As we age, the elasticity of arteries decreases and atherosclerosis gradually worsens, resulting in insufficient blood supply to the major organs of the body – heart, brain and kidneys – and leading to corresponding dysfunction. Statistics show that the excretory capacity of the kidneys at this time is only half of that of adults around 30 years old. It is due to the functional decline of important organs in the elderly that the absorption and excretion of drugs in the body are slowed down. As a result, drug toxicity and drug-related side effects are significantly higher. Even conventional doses of drugs may have many effects in the elderly such as increased sensitivity, enhanced action, decreased drug tolerance and increased adverse reactions. Therefore, the medication should be as precise as possible for the elderly, i.e., strictly grasp the indications for medication, consider comprehensively, weigh the pros and cons, reduce the combined medication, keep the variety as simple as possible, and avoid serious side effects as much as possible when combining medications. The elderly should grasp the following principles of medication: 1, to have a sedative effect and blood pressure has an impact on the drug as much as possible without or less than the elderly themselves are reactive, especially sensitive to central nervous system depressants, sedatives. Secondly, some vasoactive drugs that can affect blood pressure (such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine) or diuretic drugs (tachyphylaxis) can cause large fluctuations in blood pressure. 2, may affect the blood sugar and immunosuppressive drugs prohibited or used with caution Glucocorticoids in addition to the immune system has a strong suppressive effect, but also cause or aggravate diabetes and peptic ulcers, must be resolutely resisted, as a last resort not to touch it. 3, antibiotics can be used, but the dose should be well grasped When an infection occurs, antibiotics can be used, and the dose generally does not need to be adjusted, but attention needs to be paid to avoid high blood concentrations and toxic reactions. The actual antibiotics that are toxic to the kidneys or the center should be used as much as possible, such as the aminoglycosides. 4, antihypertensive drugs should be used accurately The elderly are commonly combined with hypertension, so antihypertensive drugs must not only be used routinely, but also accurately. The so-called precision means that the elderly should not be lowered too low, generally controlled at about 135/85mmHg can be, but also must be frequently observed during the medication blood pressure changes. The emphasis on effective blood pressure lowering is not appropriate in the elderly, in addition to the susceptibility to postural hypotension, blood pressure is too low to affect the blood supply to the heart, brain and kidneys important organs. When choosing antihypertensive drugs it is best not to use reserpine, which can aggravate depression. 5, cold medicine, painkillers, antipyretics to be used sparingly These drugs can cause sweating dehydration, there is an increased risk of kidney ischemia. Must use must be used with more water, to maintain sufficient urine volume to help prevent kidney damage. In short, because the function of the organs of the elderly has declined, all drugs should follow the principle of starting with small doses and gradually reaching the optimal dose for the individual, that is, the minimum effective amount is the optimal dose for the elderly.