Geriatric Dosage Handbook

Semla 8a. edición ISBN 159195025-2 DINSA The Geriatric Dosage Handbook is designed to be a practical and convenient guide to the dosing and usage of medications in the elderly population. As the percentage of the population over the age of 65 increases, most healthcare professionals will be faced with the challenge of the appropriate use of medications in the elderly. Many physiologic changes occur with aging, some of which affect the pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics of medications. For the majority of drugs, exact dosing guidelines for geriatric patients habe not been established and more references do not specifically address the use of medications in the elderly. For practical purposes, it has been recommended to "start low, go slow". Our objective in producing this handbook is to refine this recommendation and provide the reader with specific considerations when using medications in older adults. Information has been compiled from the current literature and our clinical experiences, emphasizing choice of medication, dosing, changes in pharmacokinetics of pharmacodynamics, monitoring parameters, and adverse effects. References are listed at the end of drug monographs to support this information when it exists. Additional clinical drug information which is relevant to the practice of geriatric pharmacotherapy is also included in each monograph and in the appendices. With each edition, newly approved medications that would be used in the elderly population are added. Additionally, dosage forms, indications, and adverse effects are updated as information becomes available. The appendix information is updated to include new treatment algorithms and tables. With this 8th edition, we hope this reference continues to be a valuable and practical source of clinical drug information for healthcare professionals caring for the elderly. We welcome comments to improve future editions.