Geriatric Drug Therapy

Special attention should be paid to the medical management of older patients presenting to the emergency department. Pharmacokinetic changes that occur with aging can impact the bioavailability of some drugs, can alter the distribution pattern and metabolism of certain agents, and normal changes in renal function can impair older patients' ability to clear certain drugs when used at standard doses. In addition, pharmacodynamic changes can increase the sensitivity of older patients to certain agents. Several tools and systems have been developed to identify and classify potentially harmful drugs or drug combinations that should be avoided in older patients.