The clinical implications of ageing for rational drug therapy

Abstract

This review summarizes present knowledge of age-related problems in drug action and their clinical implications for an increasingly important population.

Utility of the Edmonton Frail Scale in identifying frail elderly patients during treatment of colorectal cancer

“…Elderly patients are at higher risk of complications from treatments, both due to impaired tolerability of chemotherapy and co-morbidities. Age has been associated with pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes that may increase susceptibility to toxicity (2). Clinical trials often fail to enroll representative numbers of elderly patients, in part due to the difficulties of these patients meeting strict eligibility (3).…”

Time trends in 20 years of medication use in older adults: Findings from three elderly cohorts in Stockholm, Sweden

“…8,[11][12][13] In addition, due to altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in old age, elderly patients are particularly sensitive to drugs and at increased risk of adverse drug reactions. [14][15][16] Polypharmacy have also proven to be associated with unplanned re-hospitalisation. 17,18 Pain is particularly common in older adults affecting more than half of the older population, and up to 80% of nursing home residents.…”

Physical activity is inversely related to drug consumption in elderly patients with cardiovascular events

“…Elderly subjects represent 13 % of the US population, but receive 34 % of all drug prescriptions [31]. One recent large survey of community-dwelling subjects showed that more than 90 % of individuals aged ≥65 years took at least one drug weekly, more than 40 % used five or more drugs weekly, and 12 % used ten or more drugs weekly [18].…”