Pharmacological aspects of elderly: an integrative literature review

Abstract

The elderly are the fastest growing population group in Brazil, accounting for 14.3% of the population. Associated with this and with the increase in life expectancy, changes in the country’s pattern of illness and the medicalization of aging, issues such as pharmacology in elderly have become essential topics in the health professionals’ training. The normal aging process has particularities that can modify the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of drugs, predisposing elderly to Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs), iatrogenesis, use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM), polypharmacy, illness processes, falls and fractures, delirium, hospitalization, institutionalization and even death. Based on this, instruments or lists of medications considered inappropriate for elderly were created, each with particularities of the medication market of each country. Therefore, this subject is extremely relevant in clinical practice and when it is used in an interdisciplinary way, it improves the quality of services and the training of health professionals and allows the prevention of iatrogenic events