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Drug Interactions and the Elderly
Author(s) -
Reidenberg Marcus M.
Publication year - 1982
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.1532-5415.1982.tb01358.x
Subject(s) - medicine , drug , theophylline , tricyclic , pharmacodynamics , pharmacology , drug interaction , drug metabolism , adverse effect , imipramine , pharmacokinetics , alternative medicine , pathology
The elderly take more drugs than the young, and are therefore more susceptible to adverse drug interactions. Prescribing the minimum number of agents is recommended. Drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion may be altered by various interactions. Dose–response relationships of oral anticoagulants, oral hypoglycemics, anticonvulsants, steroid hormones, theophylline, and tricyclic antidepressants are significantly affected by changes in drug metabolism. Proper adjustment of dosage permits the safe, concomitant use of agents that interact with these drugs. Pharmacodynamic interactions also occur in the elderly. A common example is the additive effect of several drugs with central nervous system depressant activity, causing oversedation.