Abstract

GERIATRIC PHARMACOTHERAPY AND MEDICATION ADVERSE EFFECT: A REVIEW

Ketaki Ingawale*

Abstract

Pharmacotherapy or drug therapy, is defined as medical treatment that utilizes one or more pharmaceutical drugs to improve illness symptoms relief, treat the underlying condition, or act as a prevention for other diseases.[1] Pharmacotherapy is an important health care therapy in preventing illness, disability and death in geriatric population and improve quality of life. Pharmacotherapy in geriatric patients is difficult and complicated task for physician. Elderly patients frequently experience multiple illnesses and take many drugs concurrently. The combination of altered drug activity, impaired homeostasis, and the use of multiple drugs can contribute to adverse drug reactions and has been found to be a frequent cause of hospitalization and morbidity.[2] As a person ages, there are many normal physiological changes that take place which may affect the way in which a person processes and responds to medications. Aging is characterized by a gradually developing loss of functioning of most of organs, a reduction in homeostatic mechanisms, and a response to receptor stimulation. Also occur loss of water content and an increase of fat content in the body. Therefore, understanding the influence of age-dependent changes in functioning of the body on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs is important criteria before prescribing drugs to elderly patients. In geriatric patients changes in Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic sensitivity affect the drug therapy.

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