Pharmacology Flashcards
how is drug absorption affected in the elderly?
completely depends on the drug (I think)
how is drug distribution affected in the elderly?
if it binds to water - lower
if it binds to body mass - lower
if it binds to fat - higher
metabolism
what organ is involved
does it increase or decrease
liver
decreases
Which drugs are metabolized better in the elderly - Phase I or Phase II pathway drugs?
Phase II pathway
what even does Phase II pathway mean?
converts drugs to inactive metabolites that do not accumulate
elimination
What organ is involved?
is it increased or decreased?
kidney
decreased
When should you consider drug dosing adjustments?
hydro-soluble drugs
fat-soluble drugs
drugs with long 1/2 lives
hemodialysis patients
any kidney dysfunction
what factors of normal aging decrease GFR?
(4)
all of these are decreased:
size
renal blood flow
functioning nephrons
tubular secretion
In the elderly is serum creatinine a solid reflection of kidney function?
i guess not
it stays in the normal range
go figure
Pharmacodynamics may change with aging.
Give an example with
a) benzodiazepines
b) morphine
a) more sedation and poor psychomotor-ness
b) longer pain relief
what can happen if you:
rx 2 drugs at the same time
start with a high dose
don’t titrate up/down slowly
adverse drug reactions
what causes 5-28% of acute geriatric hospital admissions?
adverse drug events
What are the most common meds that cause adverse drug events? (6 types)
CV drugs
diuretics
NSAIDS
hypoglycemics
anticoags
anything with narrow safety margin
BEERS Criteria… what to know what to know
i have decided that I will have enough common sense to answer this question so I’m not going to look at it
:)
