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Use of antimicrobials in aged people and patients with decreased renal function
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
respirology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1440-1843
pISSN - 1323-7799
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01580.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care medicine , pneumonia , renal function , antimicrobial , weight loss , pediatrics , obesity , chemistry , organic chemistry
SUMMARY • Respiratory infections develop easily in aged people and are often difficult to treat. • Renal function is poorer in aged people than in healthy adults, and the half‐life of antimicrobials in blood is longer. • General weight loss is present in many cases, and care needs to be taken in determining dosage. • A high possibility exists for hospital‐acquired pneumonia to become serious, particularly in aged people, and appropriate antimicrobials should be selected. • Body weight and renal function must be considered when setting dosages, and use of 50–70% of the amount used in healthy adults is common. • Side‐effects are no different to those in healthy adults, but care is needed due to insufficient reserve capacity in aged people and a tendency for diseases to become serious due to the reluctance of aged patients to complain.