Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you selected and describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

6521 discussion 3 | Nursing homework help

The factor I selected that may influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study is age. As a senior citizen, this patient is likely to have less efficient renal elimination of drugs due to decreased glomerular filtration rate as well as changes in gastrointestinal absorption, resulting in increased drug exposure and prolonged duration of action. This can lead to higher risk for adverse reactions or toxicity from medications such as antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which require close monitoring. In addition, an elderly patient’s liver may also be less effective at metabolizing certain drugs, particularly those with narrow therapeutic indices like warfarin or phenytoin. Thus, these medications must be used cautiously when treating older adults.

Changes in these pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy in several ways. First, doses of any medication should typically be reduced when prescribing to elderly patients due to their decreased capacity for metabolizing and excreting drugs plus potential alterations in absorption rates. Secondly, physicians should consider carefully selecting agents with fewer side effects when choosing treatments for this demographic group because of their heightened susceptibility towards experiencing adverse reactions or overdosing on certain medications.

Finally, clinicians should increase efforts at monitoring this population more closely than younger individuals due to their altered physiology; dosage adjustments may need to occur more frequently if drug concentrations are not kept within therapeutic ranges (or even milder side effects seem present). By being aware of how age can affect pharmaceutic processes—and making appropriate modifications where necessary—we can reduce risk factors associated with taking medicines while still attaining optimal health outcomes for elderly patients.