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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...

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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 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...

Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Distribution

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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...

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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 Excretion

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Updated: Mar 18, 2026

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: January 11, 2020

Methods to reduce prescribing errors in elderly patients with multimorbidity.

Amanda H Lavan¹, Paul F Gallagher¹, Denis O'Mahony¹

¹Department of Geriatric Medicine, Cork University Hospital, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.

Clinical Interventions in Aging

|July 7, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Minimizing medication errors in older adults with multiple health conditions is crucial. Focused prescriber education, using STOPP/START criteria, electronic prescribing, and pharmacist collaboration are key strategies.

Keywords:

aged multimorbidity prescribing errors

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Last Updated: Mar 18, 2026

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

A Machine Learning Approach to Design an Efficient Selective Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on: January 11, 2020

Area of Science:

Geriatric Medicine
Pharmacotherapy
Health Informatics

Background:

The growing population of older adults with multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) leads to complex medication regimens (polypharmacy).
Polypharmacy significantly increases the risk of inappropriate prescribing, adverse drug events, and prescribing errors in this vulnerable group.
Prescribing errors stem from a lack of geriatric-specific knowledge, overprescribing, and inappropriate drug omissions.

Purpose of the Study:

To review strategies for minimizing prescribing errors in older adults with multimorbidity.
To discuss the role of education, prescribing criteria, and health technology in improving medication safety.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on interventions to reduce prescribing errors in older, multimorbid patients.
Discussion of educational approaches for prescribers and pharmacists.
Evaluation of prescribing criteria (e.g., STOPP/START) and information/communication technology systems.
Mention of ongoing clinical trials (SENATOR, OPERAM) investigating software solutions.

Main Results:

Evidence for single interventions is often inconclusive, but combined approaches show promise.
Focused education in geriatric pharmacotherapy is supported.
Routine use of STOPP/START criteria, electronic prescribing, and clinical pharmacist-physician collaboration are beneficial.
Structured medication reviews are essential but challenging.

Conclusions:

Optimizing pharmacotherapy in older adults with multimorbidity requires a multifaceted approach.
Development of efficient software for complex medication reviews is a critical future direction.
Clinical trials are investigating technology's role in reducing medication-related harm and healthcare costs.