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Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients01:15

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion

In geriatric patients, renal physiology undergoes significant changes, including diminished renal blood flow and a lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR), leading to alterations in medication clearance. Drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, lithium, and digoxin, which rely on glomerular filtration for removal from the body, particularly impact pharmacokinetics. These drugs tend to have slower clearance rates in older adults, necessitating careful dosage considerations.Evaluation of renal...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption01:22

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption

As individuals age, their body's physiology evolves, affecting drug pharmacokinetics. The most apparent changes occur in the gastrointestinal tract, where an increase in gastric pH, a delay in gastric emptying, and a reduction in gastrointestinal motility are observed. Remarkably, these changes do not substantially modify the absorption of orally administered drugs, particularly those absorbed via passive diffusion.Transdermal drug delivery emerges as a highly viable method for older adults due...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism

Geriatric patients show significant variation in how their bodies process medications, which can change how effective and safe treatments are. The liver is the primary organ where drug metabolism occurs, involving two main types of chemical reactions: phase I and II. Phase I metabolism is driven by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, which includes key types such as CYP3A, CYP2D6, and CYP2C9. Research indicates that while aging doesn't notably alter the levels or activity of these enzymes, it...
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution01:00

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the human body is influenced by several factors, including plasma protein concentration, body composition, blood flow, tissue-protein concentration, and tissue fluid pH. Among these, changes in plasma protein concentration and body composition due to aging significantly affect how drugs are distributed within the body. Specifically, aging is associated with a decrease in albumin levels by about 10% and an increase in α1-acid glycoprotein levels. These alterations are not...

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Related Experiment Videos

Polypharmacy and the geriatric patient.

Bryan D Hayes1, Wendy Klein-Schwartz, Fermin Barrueto

  • 1Maryland Poison Center, University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy, 220 Arch Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|April 28, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, poses significant risks for older adults. Strategies like Beers criteria and regular medication reviews can help prevent dangerous complications in elderly patients.

Related Experiment Videos

Area of Science:

  • Geriatrics
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • The global population of older adults is rapidly expanding.
  • This demographic shift is accompanied by a heightened risk of polypharmacy.
  • Polypharmacy in the elderly is linked to adverse drug events and increased healthcare burdens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the growing challenge of polypharmacy in older adults.
  • To identify key contributing factors to polypharmacy in this population.
  • To propose strategies for mitigating the risks associated with polypharmacy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on polypharmacy in geriatrics.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to polypharmacy, including multiple prescribers and comorbidities.
  • Evaluation of established guidelines and monitoring practices for medication management.

Main Results:

  • Polypharmacy is driven by factors such as multiple healthcare providers, increasing comorbidities, and a wider array of available medications.
  • Adverse effects of polypharmacy can be severe and potentially lethal in elderly patients.
  • Proactive interventions are crucial for managing polypharmacy effectively.

Conclusions:

  • The application of Beers criteria is essential for identifying and managing potentially inappropriate medications in older adults.
  • Therapeutic drug monitoring and regular medication list reviews are vital components of safe polypharmacy management.
  • Implementing these strategies can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of polypharmacy-related complications in the elderly.