Pharmacologic considerations in geriatric dentistry.

Drug administration to geriatric patients in the dental office requires special care. The margin of safety, or therapeutic window, in which the drug is safely effective may be greatly decreased because of physiologic changes with age, and pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations. Realizing that the elderly are, as a group, more susceptible to adverse drug reactions, the addition of new medications must be undertaken with caution. Consulting with the patient's physician and a close working relationship with clinical pharmacists specializing in geriatrics can facilitate safe and effective drug prescribing.