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Beta Blockers in the Elderly

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Drug Studies in the Elderly

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Abstract

Adrenergic blocking drugs have become one of the most widely prescribed groups of agents in the current armamentarium of drugs for the treatment of a variety of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular disorders. Because diseases such as hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias are so prevalent among the elderly, beta blockers are commonly used in this population. There is, however, a significant amount of controversy involving the need to treat some of these problems in the elderly and additional doubt as to whether geriatric patients are less sensitive to the therapeutic effects of these drugs or are at greater risk of toxicity from this class of agents. The purpose of this chapter is to review the evidence documenting the efficacy of β-adrenergic blocking agents in the elderly as well as the data that quantitate the altered pharmacokinetics of beta blockers in the geriatric population. In addition, we will discuss methodology that is most appropriate to study β-blocking drugs in the elderly.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, USA

    David S. Roffman & Alan Forrest

Authors
  1. David S. Roffman
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  2. Alan Forrest
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatrics Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, 90048, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Neal R. Cutler M.D. (Director) (Director)

  2. Clinical Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratory Pharmacy Department Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, 20892, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Prem K. Narang Ph.D. (Supervisor) (Supervisor)

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© 1986 Plenum Publishing Corporation

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Roffman, D.S., Forrest, A. (1986). Beta Blockers in the Elderly. In: Cutler, N.R., Narang, P.K. (eds) Drug Studies in the Elderly. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1253-6_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-1253-6_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-1255-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-1253-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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