Week 7: Pharmacokinetics Flashcards
who are the largest users of prescription users?
older adults
true or false: Adverse drug reactions are more common in the older adult
true
true or false: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity for older adults
true
what is pharmacokinetics?
lipophilcity
hydrophilicity
half life of medications
what are pharmacokinetics change?
What the body does to the drug from the point of administration to the point of its excretion
what does ADME stand for (Facebook)?
absorption
distribution
metabolism
elimination
What are the changes in the older adults’ body that might impact the time it takes for the drug to absorbed?
Diminished gastric acidity
Slower stomach emptying (diminish activity of short lived medications)
Slowed gastric emptying can increase the effect of the medication
How do the changes in the older adults’ body change the absorption of the medication?
Slower gastric emptying can cause a time delay in maximum drug concentration
Transdermal may lead to decreased concentration of drug in the blood
Inconsistent changes
Other medications or food can influence the absorption of medications
E.g. grapefruit juice delays with a medication for hypothyroidism (levothyroxine) may delay the absorption of the medication
Fosamax can not be taken with food
true or false: the amount of available fat can affect distribution because some medications are attracted to attach to fat cells (lipophilicity)
true
what are some drugs that have a narrow therapeutic window?
phenytoin and warfarin
What are the changes in the older adult body that might change the distribution of the drug?
increased body fat
effect: Drugs that bind to fat will have a prolonged effect (they last longer in the body- leads to unpredictable effect)
ex. Valproic Acid and diazepam
What are the changes in the older adult body that might change the distribution of the drug?
Older adults experience changes in body composition: decreased body water
effect: Drugs that bind to water will have an increased concentration (higher risk of toxicity and adverse medication effect)
ex. morphine, digoxin, Lithium
What are the changes in the older adult body that might change the distribution of the drug?
Frail older adults, prolonged illness and malnutrition can decreased serum albumin
effect: Higher concentration of drugs that bind to protein albumin leading to increase risk for toxicity of medication
where does metabolism most prominently occur?
in the liver
what is a half life?
the measure of the amount of time the drug is active in the system
How do the changes in the older adult’s body change the metabolism of the drug?
Change: Reduced blood flow through the liver
Effect: Can lead to an increase in the amount of time the medication stays in the body longer
how is the drug excreted from the body?
Primarily excreted through the kidneys, also bile, saliva, sweat
How do changes in the older adult influence excretion?
Decreased blood flow through kidney
Decreased kidney function (decreased glomerular filtration rate)
How do the changes in the older adults’ body change the excretion of the drug?
Often means that the drug is in the body longer and increases the risk for drug toxicity
Creatinine clearance is used as an indication of the efficiency of the Glomerular filtration rate therefore a decreased creatinine clearance should lead to a decrease in dosage of some medications
true or false: Older adults should start with lower doses of medications
true
What the clinician needs to do to compensate for changes in renal function?
What the clinician needs to do to compensate for changes in renal function:
Clinicians need to know what normal kidney function is in the older adult
true or false: Decreased renal function results in reduction in drug clearance (or the drug stays in the body longer)
true
what are some age related pharmacokinetic changes
- Age-related changes in absorption can delay maximum concentration of drug
- Age-related changes in distribution are related to change in body composition
- The most significant age related changes that impact pharmacokinetic properties are related to changes in the blood flow to the liver and kidney
- Prolonged illness, malnutrition and hydration can compound age related effects that can contribute to changes in pharmocokinetics
what is the definition of poly pharmacy?
“Use of more medications than is clinically indicated”
“Often associated with the chronic use of 5 or more medications”
“A large number of medications, contraindicated, potentially inappropriate or medications that are duplicated or unnecessary”
is it true: 1 in 4 Canadian seniors was prescribed 10+ drug classes in 2016
true
what are adverse drug reactions?
these are unwanted reactions to meds that range in severity
Medication induced delirium, falls and decline in function are the most common concerning ADR’s for older adults
Diet, physiological changes can change older adult’s response to medications
true or false: Older adults on 10-14 different drug classes were five times more likely to be hospitalized than those prescribed 4 or fewer drug classes
true