PECULIARITIES OF USING DRUGS IN THE ELDERLY AND SENILE PERSONS

Abstract

Elderly patients, compared to young people, use a huge volume of drugs because they are exposed to a greater number of diseases and pathological conditions, denote significant organic changes and age-induced functional disorders. The elucidation of the peculiarities of the action and usage of medicinal substances by elderly and senile people is currently gaining in importance since the share of people from this age group increased considerably, they becoming longer-lived. The body reaction to the drug substances in this category of patients changes as a result of the physiological aging of the organs and tissues and the presence of various simultaneous diseases. With age, the frequency of adverse drug reactions increases if compared to that of middle-aged people. Also, the sensitivity to most drugs is more pronounced to elderly and senile persons, which is why their usage dose should be reduced, the range of more active and toxic preparations being considerably limited. All these create difficulties in treatment, because, in these patients, polypragmasia is found more frequently than in other age groups, where about half of the drugs are prescribed according to vital indications. For these reasons, when prescribing drugs and drawing up treatment plans, the doctor should take into account, in a fairly thorough way, all the information on the aging process, the patient’s condition and the nature of the conditions currently being treated.

Keywords

• age
• aging
• senile
• polypragmasia
• medicine
• peculiarities
• sensitivity
• geriatrics