Cardiac drug therapy-considerations in the elderly.
Elderly individuals constitute a majority of patients encountered in current cardiovascular clinical practice. Management of these patients is a clinical challenge owing to a multitude of factors. Although medications such as statins have been shown to reduce cardiovascular mortality in the general population, evidence supporting the use of these drugs in patients greater than 75 years of age is sparse. Furthermore, aging associated changes in organ function and associated comorbidities influence the pharmacokinetics of multiple medications and can potentiate drug toxicity. In this article, we review the evidence behind the use of common cardiovascular medications in elderly patients and discuss pertinent clinical challenges.
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Mohamed
M
Ayan
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Naga Venkata
NV
Pothineni
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Aisha
A
Siraj
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
Jawahar L
JL
Mehta
Cardiac; Drugs; Elderly