Why do you feel dizzy after taking medicine? Guidance on the pharmacokinetics of medication for the elderly
Compared with young people, the body resistance of the elderly is poor, and the physiological reserve capacity of each organ in the body is also weak. The stress response to drugs becomes fragile. Pharmacokinetics, or pharmacokinetics for short, focuses on the body’s processing of drugs, including the four processes of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, as well as the regularity of drug concentration in the body over time. The development of a drug requires in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetic tests. Medicilon’s preclinical pharmacokinetic service department can provide clients with a complete set of pharmacokinetic evaluation and optimization services.The metabolism of drugs is related to people’s age, gender, individual differences, genetic factors, etc. Medications should be administered reasonably according to the drug metabolism characteristics of the elderly to avoid other harmful effects on the body.
One 、 Characteristic of drug metabolism in the elderly
(1) Weakened intestinal motility, drug absorption is reduced, and drug excretion is restricted.
(2) Decreased liver function, slow metabolism, drug accumulation, and easy-to-cause poisoning.
(3) The proportion of fat increases the reduction of water and muscle tissue in the body, making lipophilic drugs easy to accumulate poisoning.
Two 、Medication principles for the elderly
(1) Individualization principle
Since the degree of decline of various organs of the elderly is different. The age group of the elderly is diverse, and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in the body have also changed, so it is challenging to develop a uniform standard of drug administration. Implementing individualized treatment for the specific conditions of elderly patients is necessary. The principle of “start with a small dose, slowly increase the dose, and if necessary, slowly decrease the dose.”
(2) Avoid taking multiple drugs at the same time
The pharmacokinetic characteristics of different drugs are different. Since the elderly have more kinds of diseases and take more pills, they should take fewer and more specific drugs and avoid taking too many different types of medications at the same time.
(3) The principle of temporary drug withdrawal
Elderly patients are at high risk for adverse drug reactions, which may persist even if the prescription is correct and reasonable. The principle of temporary discontinuation is one of the simplest and most effective interventions in modern geriatrics for new symptoms that occur during medication use in the elderly and deserves significant attention.
(4) Principle of family supervision
Especially for the elderly with cognitive impairment, unable to take care of themselves, and with poor memory, family members should pay special attention to their medication use to prevent the occurrence of missed or repeated doses.
(5) Principle of the expected effect
The elderly are in the late stage of life. The following indicators need to be evaluated when starting or stopping certain drugs at this particular time: life expectancy, time of drug effectiveness, treatment goals, and whether the treatment can meet the needs.
(6) Principles of nutritional intervention
Most older adults have adverse nitrogen balance metabolism, plus due to diseases, they often have wasting, anemia, and hypoproteinemia, which affect the treatment of drugs. To better play the efficacy of drugs, it is necessary to pay attention to selecting and matching food nutrients.
Medication for the elderly should follow medical advice, choose the right drug, the correct dose, the proper dosage form, and the route of administration. Simplify the treatment plan and improve compliance. Choose an appropriate diet, such as a restricted diet for diabetics and a low-salt diet for people with high blood pressure and heart disease.