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THE INFLUENCE OF AGE ON THE ACTIVITY OF CATECHOLAMINES AND RELATED THERAPEUTIC AGENTS
Author(s) -
BENDER A. DOUGLAS
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1970.tb02123.x
Subject(s) - medicine , adrenergic , stimulation , receptor , physiology , disease , intensive care medicine , endocrinology , pharmacology
A bstract : A review has been made of the literature on the changes with age in the sensitivity of various organs and tissues to catecholamines. The objective of this review was to examine these changes and to interpret them in the light of related compounds that are employed commonly in the treatment of the elderly. The available evidence strongly indicates that there is an increase with age in the sensitivity to exogenously administered amines. In terms of the therapeutic application of related drugs in the elderly, this finding indicates that caution should be used when administering such agents, particularly if they have significant secondary effects which are related to the stimulation of adrenergic receptors. Additional information indicates that perhaps there is a delay in the excretion and in the distribution of catecholamines. Thus, higher blood levels might be anticipated when sympathomimetic amines are employed in the treatment of various disease states.