Author/Editor		Stanovnik, Lovro
Title		Zdravila in starejši organizem
Translated title		Medicines in the old age
Type		članek
Source		In: Mencej M, editor. Uporaba zdravil v starosti. Ljubljana: Gerontološko društvo Slovenije,
Publication year		1999
Volume		str. 7-15
Language		slo
Abstract		In the developed countries, the proportion of old people in the population is increasing and will, according to some estimates, reach a quarter at the end of this decade. Hence the questions, connected with the pharmacotherapy of the elderly, become more and more important. There is a generally accepted opinion that the reaction to drugs in the elderly is changed, though the data available is relatively scarce. There are mny explanations for a changed response to the drugs in the elderly: they can be found in a changed body composition and in changed physiological processes in the old age. These properties of the old organism lead to the changes inthe primary effect of thedrugs and often increase their side effects. Changes in the drug effects can most frequently be explained by modified pharmacokinetic parameters and in some cases by changed pharmacodynamics (the effect of a drug is changed without alterations of its concentration at the site of action). Most frequently changed pharmacokinetic parameters are tissue distribution and elimination of the drugs; the volume of distribution of the lipophlic drugs is increased because of a higher proportion of body fat and their metabolism is diminished because of a disturbed metabolic function of the liver. Both changes lead to the prolongued elimination half-times of these drugs. Diminished kidney function can lead to similar changes in the hydrophilic drugs.(Abstract truncated at 2000 characters)
Descriptors		AGING DRUG THERAPY DRUGS AGED