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Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

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...

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

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 Excretion

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 Metabolism

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...

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption

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 Distribution

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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Therapeutic Massage for Psychological Well-being in Geriatric Oncology

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[Review in geriatric medicine].

Stéfanie Monod¹, Stéphane Rochat, Gabriel Gold

¹D Service de gériatrie et réadaptation gériatrique, Centre universitaire de traitements et de réadaptation (CUTR) Sylvana, Département de médecine, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

Revue Medicale Suisse

|February 17, 2009

Summary

Polymedication poses risks for older adults, but interventions and hypertension treatment show benefits. Geriatric programs improve care, especially post-hospitalization, though dementia research shows mixed results.

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Area of Science:

Geriatric Medicine
Clinical Gerontology
Public Health

Context:

2008 research highlights risks of polymedication in elderly patients.
Challenges in diagnosing depression in older adults seeking assisted suicide noted.
Hypertension treatment benefits extended to very old individuals.

Purpose:

To review key findings from 2008 geriatric research.
To identify risks and benefits of medical interventions in older populations.
To assess the impact of geriatric programs and dementia research.

Summary:

Studies identified polymedication risks and diagnostic challenges in elderly patients.
The HYVET study confirmed hypertension treatment benefits in the very old.
Community-based geriatric programs showed benefits, particularly for recently discharged patients.

Impact:

Informs clinical practice regarding medication safety in older adults.
Highlights the importance of targeted geriatric interventions and continued hypertension management.
Suggests areas for further research in dementia and elderly care.