Abstract

NOBREGA, Otávio de Tolêdo  and  KARNIKOWSKI, Margô Gomes de Oliveira. Pharmacotherapy in the elderly: precautions with medication. Ciênc. saúde coletiva [online]. 2005, vol.10, n.2, pp. 309-313. ISSN 1413-8123.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1413-81232005000200008.

Medical literature points out that ageing predisposes to a greater consumption of prescription and "over the counter" medicines. However, physiological changes related to aging such as modification of body composition and reduction of the renal and hepatic functions may significantly alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of several drugs, rendering elderly people susceptible to much more intense adverse or therapeutic effects. In this scenario, the medical literature has been continuously enriched with studies pointing out explicit medications or medications categories that should be generally avoided or used with caution by older adults. This work has the purpose of briefly describing a few, consensual information on these inappropriate drugs for the elderly, addressing some active principles available for the Brazilian population.

Keywords : Drug utilization; Clinical pharmacology; Elderly.