Therapeutic considerations in prescribing for elderly patients.

A review of some of the problems which occur in prescribing for the elderly is presented. Three quarters of the population over 75 years of age are taking some form of medication, and 12.4% of admissions to Departments of Geriatric Medicine are admitted at least in part because of some adverse reaction to their drug treatment. The presentation of drugs, drug compliance, the absorption, metabolism and elimination of drugs, related to the effects of ageing and disease in old age are discussed, and used to argue that the elderly present special problems in therapeutics, and that pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies should be carried out specifically in the elderly on all drugs.