Publication: Drug Use in the Elderly
Issued Date
2012
Resource Type
Language
eng
ISSN
0125-3611 (Print)
2651-0561 (Online)
2651-0561 (Online)
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
Department of Pharmacology Faculty of Science Mahidol University
Bibliographic Citation
Ramathibodi Medical Journal. Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul-Sep 2012), 243-244
Suggested Citation
Amnuay Thithapandha, อำนวย ถิฐาพันธ์ Drug Use in the Elderly. Ramathibodi Medical Journal. Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul-Sep 2012), 243-244. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/79780
Research Projects
Organizational Units
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Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
Drug Use in the Elderly
Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Many changes in both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several drugs have occurred as a result of physiologic alteration in the elderly. Decrease in total body water (due to decrease in muscle mass) and increase in total body fat affect volume of distribution. Thus, serum levels of water-soluble drugs such as lithium, aminoglycosides, alcohol and digoxin may go up due to decreased volume of distribution. Half-life of fat-soluble compounds such as diazepam, thiopental and trazadone may be increased because of the increase in body fat.
The pharmacodynamics (what the drug dose to the body) of drugs may also be altered. For example, alcohol causes increase in drowsiness in older people more than in younger people at the same serum levels, and this is also true for fentanyl, diazepam, morphine and theophylline. In contrast, some drug effects are decreased, e.g., diminished heart rate (HR) response to isoproterenol and beta-blockers in the elderly.