[Drug administration schedules in geriatric patients].
BACKGROUND
In this study the prescription of drugs in an outpatients geriatric population was evaluated in terms of age and body weight.


METHODS
From a wide survey carried out on 500 geriatric outpatients, all the prescriptions corresponding to H-2 antagonists, digoxin, theophylline, bromazepam, diazepam, lorazepam and triazolam were analyzed. The patients studied were of 60 or more years of age. For each drug patients were stratified into groups according to intervals of body weight with mean age of the patient being determined in each of the intervals as well as the doses received in mg/kg.


RESULTS
Two hundred eighty prescriptions were analyzed with 12% corresponding to the H-2 antagonists, 29% to digoxin, 23% to theophylline and 35% to benzodiazepines. There was no significant correlation between age and the doses received. In general, the lowest body weight corresponded with a higher mean age and a marked increase in the mean dose of cimetidine, ranitidine, theophylline, bromazepam, lorazepam, and triazolam administered. There was a tendency to an adjustment in the doses of digoxin in the most elderly patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The data found concerning the prescription of drugs to a geriatric outpatients population indicate that in elderly patients adjustments are not made in the doses of drugs administered according to the age and body weight of the patient. Low body weight of the elderly is a overdosage risk factor.
Lucena González
M L
ML
Servicio de Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Universitario, Facultad de Medicina, Málaga.
García Domínguez
M D
MD
Andrade Bellido
R J
RJ
Hidalgo Sánchez
R
R
Ramírez Torres
J M
JM
Sánchez de la Cuesta
F
F
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans
Análisis de las pautas de dosificación de medicamentos en pacientes geriátricos.