Skip to main content
PMC home page
Environmental Health Perspectives logoLink to Environmental Health Perspectives
. 1994 Dec;102(Suppl 11):119–124. doi: 10.1289/ehp.94102s11119

Pharmacokinetics in the elderly.

M Mayersohn 1
PMCID: PMC1566768  PMID: 7737036

Abstract

Animals undergo substantial changes in many physiologic and biochemical functions as a natural consequence of aging. In the absence of disease or other pathologic conditions, these changes occur in a gradual manner with time (generally expressed as a fractional or percentage change in that function per year or decade). Furthermore, for any given function and at any given chronologic age, there is large variation in that function among individuals. Given the increase in life expectancy, the substantial increase in the number of elderly (and aged elderly) in the population, and the escalating costs of health care, there is great interest in learning more about the risks associated with aging as a result of toxic exposure. Are the elderly at greater risk than younger adults to the toxic effects of drugs and environmental exposure? Is the elderly population an inherently more sensitive one?

Full text

PDF
123

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BRANDFONBRENER M., LANDOWNE M., SHOCK N. W. Changes in cardiac output with age. Circulation. 1955 Oct;12(4):557–566. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.12.4.557. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bach B., Hansen J. M., Kampmann J. P., Rasmussen S. N., Skovsted L. Disposition of antipyrine and phenytoin correlated with age and liver volume in man. Clin Pharmacokinet. 1981 Sep-Oct;6(5):389–396. doi: 10.2165/00003088-198106050-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bianchine J. R., Calimlim L. R., Morgan J. P., Dujuvne C. A., Lasagna L. Metabolism and absorption of L-3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanine in patients with Parkinson's disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jul 6;179:126–140. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb46895.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chandler M. H., Scott S. R., Blouin R. A. Age-associated stereoselective alterations in hexobarbital metabolism. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1988 Apr;43(4):436–441. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1988.55. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Cockcroft D. W., Gault M. H. Prediction of creatinine clearance from serum creatinine. Nephron. 1976;16(1):31–41. doi: 10.1159/000180580. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DAVIES D. F., SHOCK N. W. Age changes in glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and tubular excretory capacity in adult males. J Clin Invest. 1950 May;29(5):496–507. doi: 10.1172/JCI102286. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Greenblatt D. J. Reduced serum albumin concentration in the elderly: a report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1979 Jan;27(1):20–22. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1979.tb01715.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hollenberg N. K., Adams D. F., Solomon H. S., Rashid A., Abrams H. L., Merrill J. P. Senescence and the renal vasculature in normal man. Circ Res. 1974 Mar;34(3):309–316. doi: 10.1161/01.res.34.3.309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Johnson S. L., Mayersohn M., Conrad K. A. Gastrointestinal absorption as a function of age: xylose absorption in healthy adults. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1985 Sep;38(3):331–335. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1985.181. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jung D., Mayersohn M., Perrier D., Calkins J., Saunders R. Thiopental disposition as a function of age in female patients undergoing surgery. Anesthesiology. 1982 Apr;56(4):263–268. doi: 10.1097/00000542-198204000-00006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jusko W. J., Weintraub M. Myocardial distribution of digoxin and renal function. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1974 Sep;16(3):449–454. doi: 10.1002/cpt1974163part1449. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Klotz U., Avant G. R., Hoyumpa A., Schenker S., Wilkinson G. R. The effects of age and liver disease on the disposition and elimination of diazepam in adult man. J Clin Invest. 1975 Feb;55(2):347–359. doi: 10.1172/JCI107938. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kupfer R. M., Heppell M., Haggith J. W., Bateman D. N. Gastric emptying and small-bowel transit rate in the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1985 May;33(5):340–343. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1985.tb07134.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lalonde R. L., Tenero D. M., Burlew B. S., Herring V. L., Bottorff M. B. Effects of age on the protein binding and disposition of propranolol stereoisomers. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1990 Apr;47(4):447–455. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1990.56. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Levy G., Jusko W. J. Factors affecting the absorption of riboflavin in man. J Pharm Sci. 1966 Mar;55(3):285–289. doi: 10.1002/jps.2600550305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Mayersohn M. The "Xylose test" to assess gastrointestinal absorption in the elderly: a pharmacokinetic evaluation of the literature. J Gerontol. 1982 May;37(3):300–305. doi: 10.1093/geronj/37.3.300. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Paxton J. W., Briant R. H. Alpha 1-acid glycoprotein concentrations and propranolol binding in elderly patients with acute illness. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1984 Nov;18(5):806–810. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1984.tb02548.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Roberts C. J., Jackson L., Halliwell M., Branch R. A. The relationship between liver volume, antipyrine clearance and indocyanine green clearance before and after phenobarbitone administration in man. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1976 Oct;3(5):907–913. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1976.tb00646.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Rodeheffer R. J., Gerstenblith G., Becker L. C., Fleg J. L., Weisfeldt M. L., Lakatta E. G. Exercise cardiac output is maintained with advancing age in healthy human subjects: cardiac dilatation and increased stroke volume compensate for a diminished heart rate. Circulation. 1984 Feb;69(2):203–213. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.69.2.203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Roskos K. V., Maibach H. I., Guy R. H. The effect of aging on percutaneous absorption in man. J Pharmacokinet Biopharm. 1989 Dec;17(6):617–630. doi: 10.1007/BF01062121. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. SHERLOCK S., BEARN A. G., BILLING B. H., PATERSON J. C. S. Splanchnic blood flow in man by the bromsulfalein method: the relation of peripheral plasma bromsulfalein level to the calculated flow. J Lab Clin Med. 1950 Jun;35(6):923–932. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Swift C. G., Homeida M., Halliwell M., Roberts C. J. Antipyrine disposition and liver size in the elderly. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1978 Nov 16;14(2):149–152. doi: 10.1007/BF00607447. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Veering B. T., Burm A. G., Souverijn J. H., Serree J. M., Spierdijk J. The effect of age on serum concentrations of albumin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1990 Feb;29(2):201–206. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1990.tb03620.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Vestal R. E., McGuire E. A., Tobin J. D., Andres R., Norris A. H., Mezey E. Aging and ethanol metabolism. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1977 Mar;21(3):343–354. doi: 10.1002/cpt1977213343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Vestal R. E., Norris A. H., Tobin J. D., Cohen B. H., Shock N. W., Andres R. Antipyrine metabolism in man: influence of age, alcohol, caffeine, and smoking. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1975 Oct;18(4):425–432. doi: 10.1002/cpt1975184425. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wallace S., Whiting B. Factors affecting drug binding in plasma of elderly patients. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1976 Apr;3(2):327–330. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1976.tb00611.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Warren P. M., Pepperman M. A., Montgomery R. D. Age changes in small-intestinal mucosa. Lancet. 1978 Oct 14;2(8094):849–850. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(78)92639-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wood A. J., Vestal R. E., Wilkinson G. R., Branch R. A., Shand D. G. Effect of aging and cigarette smoking on antipyrine and indocyanine green elimination. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1979 Jul;26(1):16–20. doi: 10.1002/cpt197926116. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Yung S., Mayersohn M., Robinson J. B. Ascorbic acid absorption in man: influence of divided dose and food. Life Sci. 1981 Jun 1;28(22):2505–2511. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(81)90592-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Environmental Health Perspectives are provided here courtesy of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

RESOURCES