Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in older adults

Abstract

Purpose of review 

With the growing of the aging population, increased and new methods of anesthesia and surgery allow for surgery and other interventions in older adults.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in older adults differ from those in younger and middle-aged adults. However, the geriatric population is frequently neglected in the context of clinical trials. The present review focuses on the consequences of multimorbidity and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations and their implications on anesthesia.

Recent findings 

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling may serve as an option to better understand the influence of age on drugs used for anesthesia. However, difficulties to adequately characterize geriatric patients are described.

Summary 

Further research of drug effects in the aging population may include physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic complex models and randomized controlled trials with thoroughly conducted geriatric assessments.