WHY RATIONAL DRUG MANAGEMENT IN AN ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL?

Authors : Hatice Dilek DOĞAN, Kadir ÇALIŞKAN

Pages : 60-70

View : 22 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2019-07-17

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Health requirements of the aging population, the importance of which is increasing with each passing day due to the changing population structure in the world and Turkey, has gained a place as the most important health policy today. In elderliness when several diseases can coexist simultaneously, it is very important to properly select among an increasing number of drugs and to use them in safe dose ranges. In elderly individuals, drug side effects, overutilization of drug, and cognitive problems such as forgetting and comprehension are common. It is therefore difficult to distinguish whether the symptoms observed in an elderly individual are drug side effects or the interaction between drug and disease. Rational drug management in the elderly includes starting treatments at a low dose and increasing the dose slowly, that is “start low, go slow”, and continuing with as low dose as possible to avoid unnecessary drug doses.  In this context, clinical staff should be able to closely monitor the effects and side effects of drgus administered to elderly individuals, provide the required training to the patient and family, and be able to recognize cognitive changes early.
Keywords : Aging, drug, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic effect