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Dr. William Steers presented a lecture on drug use in the elderly which highlighted many of the difficulties that patients of advanced years face including: prescriptions for inappropriate medications, multiple prescriptions by multiple providers and side effects.
He stated that the elderly have more side effects and complications due to their decreased liver and renal metabolism. "Significant deficits in elderly on anticholinergic drugs are noted and it may take a month for effects to clear once the drug is stopped. Other side effects such as bowel dysfunction also result." wrote Dr. Christopher Evans MD, who reviewed the session for urotoday.com. In addition, the elderly are not used in clinical trials which thus prevents a thorough review of drug safety for this population.
He concluded "There are presently 72 combinations of drugs that can be used to treat LUTS in the elderly, according to Dr. Steers. We can review drug lists of elderly patients and modify them on every visit. We should avoid medications if the benefit is marginal."
Source: http://www.urotoday.com/287/conferen...e_elderly.html
He stated that the elderly have more side effects and complications due to their decreased liver and renal metabolism. "Significant deficits in elderly on anticholinergic drugs are noted and it may take a month for effects to clear once the drug is stopped. Other side effects such as bowel dysfunction also result." wrote Dr. Christopher Evans MD, who reviewed the session for urotoday.com. In addition, the elderly are not used in clinical trials which thus prevents a thorough review of drug safety for this population.
He concluded "There are presently 72 combinations of drugs that can be used to treat LUTS in the elderly, according to Dr. Steers. We can review drug lists of elderly patients and modify them on every visit. We should avoid medications if the benefit is marginal."
Source: http://www.urotoday.com/287/conferen...e_elderly.html