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Related Concept Videos

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients01:15

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

365
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...
365
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Metabolism

343
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...
343
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution01:00

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

351
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...
351
Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age01:27

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

333
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...
333
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption01:22

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption

816
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...
816
Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion01:18

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Excretion

329
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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults
14:39

Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults

Published on: April 22, 2022

4.5K

Polypharmacy in the elderly.

Negar Golchin1, Scott H Frank2, April Vince3

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle Washington, USA.

Journal of Research in Pharmacy Practice
|May 19, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, is common in seniors and linked to duplicate therapies and dangerous drug combinations. Better communication between seniors, doctors, and pharmacists can reduce these risks.

Keywords:
Elderlydrug adherencepolypharmacy

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 12, 2026

Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults
14:39

Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults

Published on: April 22, 2022

4.5K

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Clinical Pharmacy
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Polypharmacy is a growing concern among the elderly population.
  • Managing multiple prescriptions increases the risk of adverse drug events.
  • Seniors often utilize multiple pharmacies, complicating medication oversight.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of polypharmacy in seniors.
  • To identify potential complications associated with polypharmacy in this demographic.
  • To assess the frequency of missed doses, duplicate therapies, and contraindicated drug combinations.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted with 59 adults over 65 years old.
  • Participants were interviewed at senior programs in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
  • Polypharmacy was defined as using more than five prescribed medications.

Main Results:

  • 35.6% of seniors studied exhibited polypharmacy.
  • Nearly 57% of those with polypharmacy had contraindicated drug combinations.
  • Polypharmacy was significantly associated with duplicate drug therapies (P=0.02).

Conclusions:

  • Polypharmacy in seniors is associated with duplicate therapies and contraindicated drug combinations.
  • Enhanced communication among seniors, physicians, and pharmacists is crucial.
  • Interventions are needed to mitigate the adverse consequences of polypharmacy in older adults.