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Medication management
1School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore.
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|August 1, 1988
Summary
Elderly patients, especially those in nursing homes, receive numerous medications. Understanding how factors like disease, weight, and organ function affect drug action in the very old is crucial for safe and effective treatment.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Pharmacology
- Clinical Pharmacy Practice
Background:
- The elderly population, particularly those in nursing homes, are the highest consumers of prescription drugs.
- There is a significant knowledge gap regarding drug action and efficacy specifically in the very elderly population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the critical factors influencing drug action in the elderly.
- To emphasize the need for specialized consideration of drug regimens in geriatric patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on geriatric pharmacotherapy.
- Analysis of factors affecting drug response in older adults.
Main Results:
- Drug action is significantly influenced by multiple concurrent diseases and polypharmacy.
- Patient-specific factors such as weight, nutritional status, and altered pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics are key determinants of drug response.
- Hepatic and renal function status are paramount in modulating drug effects and safety in the elderly.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive assessment of geriatric patients is essential to optimize pharmacotherapy.
- Clinicians must carefully consider individual patient factors and comorbidities when prescribing for the elderly to prevent adverse drug events.