Age Affects Pharmacokinetics
Therapeutic drug monitoring is a frequent practice in health care. How does age affect drug absorption, metabolization and excretion?
Impact of Age on Drug Absorption, Metabolization, and Excretion
1. Absorption:
- Infants and Children:
- Gastrointestinal Factors: In infants, the gastric pH is higher (less acidic), which can affect the solubility and absorption of certain drugs. Gastric emptying time and intestinal transit time are also slower, potentially altering drug absorption.
- Skin and Muscle: Infants have thinner skin and greater blood flow to muscles, which can enhance absorption of drugs administered transdermally or intramuscularly.
- Elderly:
- Gastrointestinal Changes: Elderly individuals often have decreased gastric acid secretion, slower gastric emptying, and reduced splanchnic blood flow, which can impact the rate and extent of drug absorption.
- Surface Area and Blood Flow: Reduction in absorptive surface area and blood flow in the gut can lead to decreased drug absorption efficiency…
Impact of Age on Drug Absorption, Metabolization, and Excretion
1. Absorption:
- Infants and Children:
- Gastrointestinal Factors: In infants, the gastric pH is higher (less acidic), which can affect the solubility and absorption of certain drugs. Gastric emptying time and intestinal transit time are also slower, potentially altering drug absorption.
- Skin and Muscle: Infants have thinner skin and greater blood flow to muscles, which can enhance absorption of drugs administered transdermally or intramuscularly.
- Elderly:
- Gastrointestinal Changes: Elderly individuals often have decreased gastric acid secretion, slower gastric emptying, and reduced splanchnic blood flow, which can impact the rate and extent of drug absorption.
- Surface Area and Blood Flow: Reduction in absorptive surface area and blood flow in the gut can lead to decreased drug absorption efficiency…
Impact of Age on Drug Absorption, Metabolization, and Excretion
1. Absorption:
- Infants and Children:
- Gastrointestinal Factors: In infants, the gastric pH is higher (less acidic), which can affect the solubility and absorption of certain drugs. Gastric emptying time and intestinal transit time are also slower, potentially altering drug absorption.
- Skin and Muscle: Infants have thinner skin and greater blood flow to muscles, which can enhance absorption of drugs administered transdermally or intramuscularly.
- Elderly:
- Gastrointestinal Changes: Elderly individuals often have decreased gastric acid secretion, slower gastric emptying, and reduced splanchnic blood flow, which can impact the rate and extent of drug absorption. Age Affects Pharmacokinetics
- Surface Area and Blood Flow: Reduction in absorptive surface area and blood flow in the gut can lead to decreased drug absorption efficiency…
