People who take prescription medications and use illicit drugs are at increased risk of
overdose.
The ADP Medical Director further recommends physicians treating older and HIVpositive patients be aware of known drug interactions and be alert for unknown ones:
• As patients age they need less of the medications that stabilize their mood.
• Patients may forget having taken prescribed medications and take more.
• A physician treating HIV-positive patients should be familiar with the interactions
and antiviral treatments.
• Physicians should be ready to intervene when seeing signs of alcohol and drug
abuse.