title: Pharmacogenetic considerations in the elderly patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To outline how the inclusion of pharmacogenetic data lends additional information in the overall decision making relative to drug therapy in the elderly patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Center for Biotechnology's PubMed database was searched for relevant pharmacogenetic-based dosing guidelines, as well as papers discussing drug use, and pharmacogenetics in the elderly. Google Scholar was also searched for the related documents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Papers cited were those that presented a rationale for drug therapy in the elderly, presented pharmacogenetic-based dosing guidelines with supporting information, and specifically discussed pharmacogenetics and other therapeutic principles relative to drug therapy in the elderly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Specific examples were extracted for presentation where data on drug use in the elderly corresponded with pharmacogenetic information. Specific examples were selected to illustrate pharmacogenetic influences on medications of clinical significance in the elderly population including meperidine, tramadol, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, flecainide, and propafenone. These medications were identified as intersecting points in the Beers criteria and pharmacogenetic guidelines provided by the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium and the Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group, or where mechanisms of pharmacogenetic influences were applicable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inclusion of pharmacogenetic data/information in the decision-making process may help the clinician to more appropriately guide therapy in the elderly patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ferris State University College of Pharmacy, Big Rapids, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bright
authors.forename: Diane M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Calinski
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kisor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D059408:Pain Management; D010597:Pharmacogenetics
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents