Prescribing For Elderly Patients

A guide for doctors to quickly choose the right drugs in the right dose for the most important clinical problems in the elderly Prescribing medications for elderly patients is complex - this book gives clear advice on treatment regimes, drug interactions, adverse effects, and recommended dose changes Provides practical help with the problems that can arise in reaching an accurate diagnosis in the elderly, recommends clear treatment options, lists key drug interactions and side effects, and advises when to amend doses

"Nurses play a vital role in improving the safety and quality of patient car -- not only in the hospital or ambulatory treatment facility, but also of community-based care and the care performed by family members. Nurses need know what proven techniques and interventions they can use to enhance patient outcomes. To address this need, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), with additional funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has prepared this comprehensive, 1,400-page, handbook for nurses on patient safety and quality -- Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. (AHRQ Publication No. 08-0043)." - online AHRQ blurb, http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/

Antimicrobial agents are essential for the treatment of life-threatening infections and for managing the burden of minor infections in the community. In addition, they play a key role in organ and bone marrow transplantation, cancer chemotherapy, artificial joint and heart valve surgery. Unlike other classes of medicines, they are vulnerable to resistance from mutations in target microorganisms, and their adverse effects may extend to other patients (increased risk of cross-infection). As a consequence, there is a constant requirement for new agents, as well as practices that ensure the continued effective prescribing of licensed agents. Public awareness and concerns about drug resistant organisms has led to widespread publicity and political action in the UK, Europe and worldwide. The control of drug resistance and the implementation of good prescribing practice are now legal requirements in the UK as a result of the UK Health Act (2008). These fundamental changes underscore the need for a thorough understanding of the advantages and risks associated with specific antibiotic choices. This sixth edition of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy continues to be a valuable resource for undergraduates and graduates requiring a thorough grounding in the scientific basis and clinical application of these drugs. This new edition is updated to include the most recently licensed agents, notably in the treatment of viral infections including HIV/AIDS, and contains new guidance on prescribing practice and infection control practices that limit the development and spread of resistant organisms.

With the use of multiple medications in the elderly patient comes the risk of drug-related problems. This issue covers polypharmacy in the elderly patient with topics that include: The Interplay between Polypharmacy, Geriatric Conditions, and Adverse Drug Reactions, Factors Leading to Excessive Polypharmacy, Clinical Practice Guidelines for Chronic Diseases and How They Contribute to Polypharmacy, Polypharmacy in Nursing Home Residents, Psychotropic Polypharmacy, Deprescribing Trials: Methods to Reduce Polypharmacy and the Impact on Prescribing and Clinical Outcomes, Ethical Framework for Medication Discontinuation in Nursing Home Residents with Limited Life Expectancy, Pharmacokinetics in the Elderly and the Interaction with Polypharmacy, Medication Adherence to Multi-drug Regimens, Improvements in Electronic Prescribing to Reduce Inappropriate Medication Use and Polypharmacy, and Tools to Decrease Polypharmacy.

The purpose of this monograph is to describe the principles of drug treatment in old age and the best therapeutic practice for the eledrly. The present text is based on those drugs likely to be available in most countries, and thus of universal relevance. The WHO Model List of ssential Drugs have been given some preference over others.

Medication review is the starting point for comprehensive rehabilitation of an elderly person in order to support physical or mental functional capacity.An elderly patient appreciates a clear diagnosis and an approach where the doctor both listens and discusses the matter before starting or reducing medication – this will also improve patient compliance. An improved quality of life as the aim of medication is emphasized in elderly patients. Problems encountered include both underuse, which is often associated with underdiagnosis (e.g. memory diseases, heart disease, disease prophylaxis, pain), and inappropriate medication (medication without a clear indication, or a drug for which the risk of adverse events outweighs the clinical benefit). It must be borne in mind that some of the patient’s symptoms may not be due to an illness but are an adverse effect of a medicine. Some medicines may often cause adverse effects in elderly patients (e.g. long-acting benzodiazepines, antipsychotic drugs, anticholinergic drugs, oral antidiabetic drugs and anti-inflammatory analgesics). The possibility of dehydration and undernourishment should be remembered both in patients living at home and those living in a care facility. Sufficient intake of protein from food is of particular importance for drug metabolism. Protein malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies develop easily and insidiously in elderly persons .

This open access book provides a comprehensive perspective on the concept of ageism, its origins, the manifestation and consequences of ageism, as well as ways to respond to and research ageism. The book represents a collaborative effort of researchers from over 20 countries and a variety of disciplines, including, psychology, sociology, gerontology, geriatrics, pharmacology, law, geography, design, engineering, policy and media studies. The contributors have collaborated to produce a truly stimulating and educating book on ageism which brings a clear overview of the state of the art in the field. The book serves as a catalyst to generate research, policy and public interest in the field of ageism and to reconstruct the image of old age and will be of interest to researchers and students in gerontology and geriatrics.