Table of Contents
Why are elderly more sensitive to drugs?
Increased Sensitivity to Many Drugs: The problems of decreased body size, altered body composition (more fat, less water), and decreased liver and kidney function cause many drugs to accumulate in older people’s bodies at dangerously higher levels and for longer times than in younger people.
How does age affect drug distribution?
In general drug absorption, distribution in the body, activity, metabolism and excretion can all change as a result of ageing. The older person is more likely to experience side effects as well as experiencing difficulty in swallowing their medication.
What is the most common medication problem in the elderly?
Warfarin is one of the most common causes of medication-related hospitalizations in older adults. To reduce the risk of serious problems, one may need to apply extra care in monitoring warfarin effect (via the prothrombin blood test) and extra care in checking for interactions when a new drug is prescribed.
Why are elderly excluded from clinical trials?
In the analysis of Covid-19 trials, concerns about compliance — and specifically, the ability to consent to a study — were the most common age-related exclusion. Older participants were also often at risk of exclusion because of other disease diagnoses or technology requirements.
Why are older adults at a higher risk for medication complications?
Elderly people are at a greater risk for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) because of the metabolic changes and reduced drug clearance associated with ageing; this risk is furthermore exacerbated by increasing the number of drugs used. Potential of drug-drug interactions is further increased by use of multiple drugs.
Why are the elderly at higher risk of food and drug interactions?
This increased risk is because organs and body systems change as the body ages. The digestive system holds food longer, allowing bacteria to grow while the stomach may not produce enough acid to limit the number of intestinal bacteria. The liver and kidneys may not properly rid the body of foreign bacteria and toxins.
Why is bioavailability increased in the elderly?
Ageing is associated with a reduction in first-pass metabolism. This is probably due to a reduction in liver mass and blood flow [52]. As a result, the bioavailability of drugs undergoing extensive first-pass metabolism such as propranolol and labetalol can be significantly increased [53–55].
How does age affect bioavailability?
Age-related changes that impact bioavailability of a medication include: Decreased blood flow to the digestive tract. Increased oxygen levels in the blood. Increased absorption in the gut.
What are the pharmacodynamics changes that occur in elderly persons?
Results: Older adults frequently demonstrate an exaggerated response to CNS-active drugs. This is in part due to an underlying age-related decline in CNS function and in part due to increased pharmacodynamic sensitivity for some benzodiazepines, anesthetics, and opioids.
Why do elderly stop taking medication?
Memory: Senior simply forget to take their medications. Need: 40% of elderly patients do not know the purpose of their medication. Some do not take them because they don’t feel good, others stop taking because they feel good. Volume: too many medications.
How medications affect the elderly?
Common side effects of medicines in older adults can be dizziness and falls, weight loss or weight gain, and changes in memory or our ability to think and process information. These, in turn, can cause older adults to get hurt and may ultimately lessen their ability to function in day-to-day life.
Which factors contribute to the issues in clinical drug use in the older adult the older population Select all that apply?
Physical risk factors for substance use disorders in older adults can include: chronic pain; physical disabilities or reduced mobility; transitions in living or care situations; loss of loved ones; forced retirement or change in income; poor health status; chronic illness; and taking a lot of medicines and supplements.
Is there an age limit for clinical trials?
Typically, clinical trials conducted in adult population include patients between the ages of 18 and 64 years. However, drugs should be studied in all age groups and trial participants should be representative of the patient population receiving the therapy in daily medical practice.
When is a local clinical trial not required for approval of a new drug?
For example, if a US-based company conducted clinical trials that also included Indian patients and the drug is marketed in the US, there will be no need for conducting local clinical trials to prove its efficacy in India,” a senior government official said, requesting anonymity.
How do you get older people in clinical studies?
Possible strategies to improve recruitment of older people to clinical studies include abolishing age limits, reducing exclusion criteria, and allowing sufficient study time (to recruit and deal with older patients) and money (for reimbursement of their participation costs) in study protocols.
How does age increase the risk for medication side effects?
As we age, the liver gets smaller, blood flow to the liver decreases and the chemicals (enzymes) in the liver that break down medications decline. This can result in medications collecting in the liver, thereby causing unwanted side effects and possible damage to the liver.
Why are elderly people at high risk for foodborne illnesses?
Older adults have a higher risk because as people age, their immune systems and organs don’t recognize and get rid of harmful germs as well as they once did. Nearly half of people aged 65 and older who have a lab-confirmed foodborne illness from Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria or E. coli are hospitalized.
What types of patients and conditions are most at risk of significant drug interactions?
Who is at risk for drug-drug interactions? Anyone who is taking more than one drug is at risk. Some populations are at higher risk, such as older adults who typically take more than one medication for chronic conditions, and people who take multiple drugs as part of standard treatment regimens for certain diseases.
How many drugs does the average senior take each day?
Research shows that the average older adult takes four or more prescription drugs each day, but a whopping 39 percent of seniors take five or more prescriptions each day. While each one was created to treat or manage a specific medical problem, each also comes with its own risks and side effects.
What causes the rate of absorption of a medication to be affected in the elderly?
In the elderly there is a reduction in gastric pH which, in the case of some drugs, affects the solubility and thus will influence the rate of absorption. Furthermore, there is a reduction in intestinal blood flow, which would tend to delay or reduce drug absorption.
What affects drug metabolism in elderly?
Aging results in a number of significant changes in the human liver including reductions in liver blood flow, size, drug-metabolizing enzyme content, and pseudocapillarization. Drug metabolism is also influenced by comorbid disease, frailty, concomitant medicines, and (epi)genetics.
