title: Single dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral oxazepam in very elderly institutionalised subjects.
abstract: The effect of extreme old age on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of orally administered oxazepam 15 mg was studied in 10 healthy elderly (age 80-94 years) institutionalised subjects and 10 healthy young controls (age 26-42 years). The total oxazepam clearance was 1.24 (0.91-1.80) ml min-1 kg-1 (median and range) and 1.44 (0.88-2.13) ml min-1 kg-1 in the elderly and young, respectively (NS), and the elimination half-lives were 8.1 (5.5-10.8) h and 5.7 (4.9-6.2) h. respectively (P less than 0.01). The percent of unbound oxazepam was greater in the elderly; 9.8 (8.1-13.3)% as opposed to 5.1 (3.7-5.9)% in the young (P less than 0.0001). Clearance of unbound oxazepam was lower in the elderly, median values being 13.8 (7.1-21.1) ml min-1 kg-1 compared with 30.3 (18.3-41.5) ml min-1 kg-1 in the young (P less than 0.0001). A single 15 mg dose oxazepam decreased the ability of the elderly to perform a finger tapping test at 3 h but not 8 h after drug administration, whereas placebo had no effect at either times. No effect was observed in the young subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Hvidovre Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sonne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Loft
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Døssing
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boesgaard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andreasen
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D008297:Male; D010076:Oxazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D010076:Oxazepam