Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 11, 2026

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings
06:59

A Novel Approach for the Administration of Medications and Fluids in Emergency Scenarios and Settings

Published on: November 9, 2016

Rational drug therapy of common illnesses in children

H Shrand

    The Journal of Family Practice
    |April 1, 1977
    PubMed

    Insights

    Most children with acute illnesses require minimal or no medication. Rational therapeutics can reduce polypharmacy, healthcare costs, and iatrogenic risks for pediatric patients.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Medicine
    • Clinical Pharmacology

    Background:

    • Acute illnesses in children are common.
    • Current treatment often involves polypharmacy.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the necessity of medication for acute childhood illnesses.
    • To highlight the benefits of rational therapeutics.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of treatment data for over 7,000 children with acute illnesses.

    Main Results:

    • Most children required no medication or a limited selection of drugs.
    • Precise prescription of a few key drugs proved adequate.

    Conclusions:

    • Rational therapeutics can significantly decrease polypharmacy.
    • Knowledge of rational therapeutics can lower illness costs and iatrogenic risks in pediatric care.

    More Related Videos

    Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis03:40

    Acupoint Catgut Embedding Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine for Managing Allergic Rhinitis

    Published on: December 20, 2024

    Related Concept Videos

    Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

    Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

    When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
    Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

    Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

    Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

    Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

    In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

    Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

    In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
    Drug Therapy01:28

    Drug Therapy

    The advent of drug therapy has profoundly shaped modern mental health care, providing targeted treatments for a range of psychological disorders. Psychotherapeutic drugs, classified into antianxiety, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medications, address symptoms across anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia. While these medications have transformed patient outcomes, they require careful management due to their potential side effects and limitations.
    Antianxiety Medications