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Pharmacological Overview in Geriatrics: Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Laboratory Monitoring

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Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry

Abstract

The goal of pharmacological treatment in geriatric psychiatry is to reduce adverse effects and maximize effectiveness, with the fewest number of medications. To achieve this goal, one must recognize the many pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes of aging that have a significant impact on geriatric psychopharmacology in the inpatient setting. Pharmacological treatment within the inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit or medicine unit, should include reconciliation of medication lists, along with the review/revision/rationalization of medication regimens. Guidelines specific to prescribing for the geriatric inpatient are reviewed in this chapter, including parsimonious prescribing, appropriate laboratory testing, recognizing the impact of medical co-morbidities, and vigilance for drug-drug interactions and adverse effects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, Davis, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Sacramento, CA, USA

    Poh Choo How & Glen Xiong

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  1. Poh Choo How
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  2. Glen Xiong
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Correspondence to Poh Choo How .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Stanford/VA Alzheimer’s Center, VA Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Howard H. Fenn

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

    Ana Hategan

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Baylor Scott and White Central Texas, Division College of Medicine, Texas A & M University, Health Science Center, Temple, TX, USA

    James A. Bourgeois

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How, P.C., Xiong, G. (2019). Pharmacological Overview in Geriatrics: Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, Laboratory Monitoring. In: Fenn, H., Hategan, A., Bourgeois, J. (eds) Inpatient Geriatric Psychiatry . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10401-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10401-6_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-10400-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-10401-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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