[Changes in pharmacokinetics in the aged and their practical consequences]

Liberation and absorption of drugs may be changed in elderly people. The distribution of water-soluble substances take place in a smaller, of fatty-soluble substances in a greater volume. According to the smaller GFR in elderly, the halflife-time of renally excreted drugs is prolonged. The pharmacokinetic changes in elderly are therefore multiple, and can hardly be predicted in the individual case. It seems important to use drugs with e white instead of a small therapeutic range (e. g. Penicillins, not Aminoglycosides). In some drugs (as diuretics, antihypertensives et al.) the effect and the side effects can judged clinically. In this drugs a strong clinically supervision of the patient is needed. Special attention in elderly patients should ly on the problem of compliance. In some special cases it is necessary to determine the plasma level.