Monitoring therapeutic drug levels in older patients
Rock, R.C.
Geriatrics 40(6): 75
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0016-867X PMID: 3996921 Document Number: 255637
Reduced renal function is the most important variable to consider in reducing dosage of drugs that are excreted largely unchanged in the urine, eg, cardiac glycosides and aminoglycoside antibiotics. Generally, therapeutic concentrations listed for specific drugs are equivalent for both younger and older adults. The major change in treatment of the elderly is lowering the customary dose to compensate for decreases in metabolism or clearance.