Elimination of and heart rate response to atropine in the elderly are independent of sex.

Sex-related changes in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (heart rate) of atropine were studied in female (n = 9) and male (n = 9) elderly patients after a single 0.02 mg/kg i.v. injection of the drug at the beginning of a combination anaesthesia. No significant differences were found between the sexes, which indicates that there are no sex-related alterations in the response to this anticholinergic agent.