Geriatric Pharmacotherapy and Medication Challenges
Prescription Problems in Elderly Patients
In elderly patients, prescriptions, over the counter (OTC), and herbals may cause problems because they suffer from several chronic disorders resulting in the excessive use of drugs compared to any other age group. It can be understood by the diminished physiological reverse, which is mostly associated with aging and can further be depleted by the chronic or acute state of diseases and drug effects. OTCs like sedatives among the elderly patients are said to cause an increase in the number of falls. These are the major concerns for the older adults because the use of multiple medications increases the risk of drug-drug counteractions and other adverse effects (Adams & Urban, 2016).
Major Physiological Changes of Aging
Pharmacokinetic changes
· Renal functioning experiences potential decrease
· Hepatic drug metabolism is also affected by aging.
Pharmacodynamics changes
· Older patients become more sensitive to effects of medications
· Some elderly patients may demonstrate decreased responses to certain medications and their adrenergic system.
Hypoglycemia unawareness
· The response of an elderly’s central nervous system decreases resulting in decreased neural density.
· The sensory, motor and autonomic fibers of an older adult are lost.
· Aging results in the decrease of tonic parasympathetic...
References
Adams, M. P., & Urban, C. Q. (2016). Pharmacology: Connections to nursing practice (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
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