Drug therapy in the elderly

Abstract

Pharmacologic management of elderly patients is difficult because of two age-related factors: (1) physiologic changes, especially in hepatic and renal function, and (2) presence of more diseases, requiring combination drug therapy and resulting in increased drug interactions and drug-induced side effects. Nevertheless, drugs have essentially the same benefits in the elderly as in younger patients and should be used for the same indications. Fewer problems will result if the clinician remembers that most drugs produce exaggerated responses, both beneficial and detrimental, in the elderly.