Physiology of Aging
General Principles
There are NORMAL expected changes in every organ system. Most changes are related to decreased function and a loss of homeostatic regulation – each system continues to function but much closer to its failure threshold. In fact, this is one of the principal definitions of aging.
These normal changes in the aging body can be organized around:
- Changes that affect drug concentration in the body (Pharmacokinetics – what the body does to the drug)
- Changes that affect the patient’s response to the drug (Pharmacodynamics – what the drug does to the body)
Activity
- Name one change of normal aging that is relevant to prescribing in the following systems
- The Liver
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- The Kidney
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- The Brain
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- The Heart
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- The Gastrointestinal System
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- The Metabolic System
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Discussion: Physiology of Aging
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okay
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ok
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ok
multiple confounding factors
aa
good thing to review on different physiologic processs and changes in these process affecting the aging population
very important to always try and factor in the pharmacokinetics with the elderly
as the elderly age so dose their internal system’s thus affecting the pharmokenetics
Ok
ok
ok
sure
Ohk
ok
Good to know system by system
okay
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yes
Metabolism is slow and drugs stay active in system longer
great
wowzers
good information
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k
I agree with all comments
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one has to be very cautious with the elderly
Basically as we age everything slows down or shrinks. Careful consideration must therefore be made before we prescribe something.
this is what I said, less function
Kidney tissue decreases as you ageYou cant filter as much waste
Good info review
every drug is ineffective at too low a dose and toxic at too high a dose. The window between uselessness and toxic gets smaller as one ages.
yes
Good review
ok
aging really takes a toll on the body.
great
good information to remember per system
ok
great review
Everything seems to slow down
slowed metabolism
ok
ok
yep
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pertinent points so often overlooked
great points
geri physiology 101
overall the system decreases in functions
interesting
like the breakdown for each system. then have to think about them all together
very important breakdown of how the body system change with age. as well key pointers consider when administering drugs to older patients
Useful info for each system
information on physiological changes are helpful
agreed
understanding physiological changes through age are so very important prior to administering medications to avoid toxicity and over medicated a client
very true
Yes have to understand the changes to make correct choice in meds
useful
Informative
good
helpful
Good information
Older adults are the most diverse group, physiologically, so always need to consider patient’s unique state, comorbidities, medications they are on etc
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This section is excellent.
Ok
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this is getting painful
You can do it!
Helpful
helpful
helpful
good information
helpful
helpful
Module froze….
very educational
Patients are multiple systems that are all interlocked. Must look at patient as a whole
Polypharmacy is an important contributor to falls, reduced quality of life and impaired cognition. Recognition of unnecessary and potentially inappropriate medications is an important step.
always risk/benifits for med choices
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useful content
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Great information
very interesting
very helpful!
agreed
great
great
great info
Great info
great info as these changes impact medications
Good info make sense
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Understanding the aging process is so important
There is a progressive decline in physiological reserve of every organ with ageing.
great review
Polypharmacy and normal decrease in function with age
Excellent review of normal aging in elderly (me)
always good to re-learn this info again
Polypharmacy can be overlooked easily
good things to remember for general approaches
Excellent section on metabolism
Excellent section
Liked this section
Age related psychological change add a layer of complexity in providing care to the elderly
multiple factors to consider when assessing an elderly patient; those functions that are predictable in a healthy adult may be impaired in this patient population, making medication choices challenging.
It is important to recognize polypharamcy and potentially harmful drug-drug interactions in all patients.
dehydration and polypharm likely contribute to all of these as well
good review
A lot of medical issues when getting old, unless you are one of the few .
Older adults are the most diverse group, physiologically, so always need to consider patient’s unique state, comorbidities, medications they are on etc
elderly are more prone to risks associated with polypharmacy due to natural changes associated with aging
so many factors to consider when dealing with the elderly patients
fascinating
many variables to consider
makes sense
Good stuff
cv c
Every patient is different, critical thinking is key
okay sounds good
reading.
Okay…reading.
d
f
okay
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Agreed
getting old is balls
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getting old sucks
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fascinating
less is more!
illuminating
hard to keep up!
Good Stuff
This is an important aspect of elderly care, but a lot to learn due to the interactions of drugs and the changes in physiology in the elderly.
lot to learn and to remember in elderly
seems like less is more for the elderly !
so many factors to consider when dealing with the elderly patients
we need to know all the changes
extend the topic and look for more articles theme
amplear is important theme
hard to anticipate what the outcome will be.
So many reasons to get into trouble
so many variables!
decreased volume/output place elderly at risk
metabolism varies with elderly
many factors to consider
ask md
Cool.
Ageing presents a lot of health difficulties
It is not good to get old as most of seniors say.
so many reasons to get into trouble
quite a lot of factors at play, further compounded by poly-pharmacy
there is a great degree of variability in the elderly as well, so the predicted function (or dysfunction) of each organ is difficult to estimate. Whereas most 30 year olds metabolize the same, the elderly are all different.
(sort of like “every happy family is the same…”)