2004 LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR MEDICAL DIRECTORS & COORDINATORS IN LONG TERM CARE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA 6-1 The Centre for Aging and Health EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THE ELDERLY PATIENT’S COCKTAIL OF DRUGS DAY: TWO (November 6, 2004) TIME: 0915-0945 DURATION: 0.5 HOUR his talk is led by Dr. Akber Mithani and will discuss issues presenting themselves in elderly patients on multiple medications. A. Course Outline 1. Didactic ~20 minutes 2. Discussion period ~10 minutes B. Learning Objectives 1. Understand the complex nature of geriatric patients with complex comorbid illnesses as they relate to pharmaceutical interventions. 2. Understand the unique side-effect profile of selected drugs in the geriatric population. 3. Understand the importance of interdisciplinary care in long-term care. Instructor Akber Mithani, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Providence Health Care and Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC, Vancouver, Canada Dr. Mithani is Vice President, Medical Affairs, Providence Health Care and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC. He has numerous publications in the area of geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry and he has been the co-editor of 2 books; one entitled "Therapeutics in Geriatric Neuropsychiatry" and the other "Adolescence to Senescence: A Guide to the Diagnosis and Management of Depression and Anxiety throughout the Life Cycle" Session 6 T
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ELDERLY PATIENT’S COCKTAIL OF DRUGS · Effectively Managing the Elderly Patient’s Cocktail of Drugs Dr. Akber Mithani Vice President, Medicine, Providence Health Care & Clinical
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2 0 0 4 L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M F O R M E D I C A L D I R E C T O R S &
C O O R D I N A T O R S I N L O N G T E R M C A R E
I N B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A
6-1 The Centre for
Aging and Health
EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THE
ELDERLY PATIENT’S COCKTAIL OF
DRUGS
DAY: TWO (November 6, 2004)
TIME: 0915-0945
DURATION: 0.5 HOUR
his talk is led by Dr. Akber Mithani and will discuss issues presenting themselves in elderly
patients on multiple medications.
A. Course Outline
1. Didactic ~20 minutes
2. Discussion period ~10 minutes
B. Learning Objectives
1. Understand the complex nature of geriatric patients with complex comorbid illnesses as they
relate to pharmaceutical interventions.
2. Understand the unique side-effect profile of selected drugs in the geriatric population.
3. Understand the importance of interdisciplinary care in long-term care.
Instructor
Akber Mithani, MD, Vice President, Medical Affairs, Providence Health Care and Clinical Associate Professor,
Department of Psychiatry, UBC, Vancouver, Canada
Dr. Mithani is Vice President, Medical Affairs, Providence Health Care and Clinical Associate
Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UBC. He has numerous publications in the area of
geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry and he has been the co-editor of 2 books; one entitled
"Therapeutics in Geriatric Neuropsychiatry" and the other "Adolescence to Senescence: A Guide to
the Diagnosis and Management of Depression and Anxiety throughout the Life Cycle"
Session
6
T
2 0 0 4 L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M F O R M E D I C A L D I R E C T O R S &
C O O R D I N A T O R S I N L O N G T E R M C A R E I N B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A
6-2 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Effectively Managing the Elderly Patient’s Cocktail of Drugs
Dr. Akber MithaniVice President, Medicine, Providence Health
Care & Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UBC
General Principles
• Aging -- Predispose the elderly to adverse drug reactions (ADR)– decrease reserve in all major organ systems– increased tendency toward accumulation of chronic
diseases associated with increased use of prescription and over-the-counter medications
2 0 0 4 L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M F O R M E D I C A L D I R E C T O R S &
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6-3 The Centre for
Aging and Health
General Principles
• Elderly 12% of population but consume 38% of prescribed medications
• Average elderly in community consumes 4.5 medications
• Elderly in Nursing Homes consume >7 medications
General Principles• Drugs should be considered as potential cause of
any symptom• ADR presents often atypically and nonspecifically
as a “geriatric giant”– Confusion -- delirium, dementia– Depression– Falls– Incontinence– Decreased ADL’s
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6-4 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Why are elderly at risk?
• Changes in drug distribution and metabolism• Multiple symptoms leading to multiple drugs • Expectations -- “pill for every ill”• Over reliance on symptoms rather than emphasis
on geriatric assessment • Multiple factors that affect drug adherence in the
elderly
Why is the geriatric population so special ?
• Fastest growing population in Canada• Largest consumer of health care $$$• Psychiatric Comorbidity is common
(Dementia+Depression+Delirium+Anxiety)• Medical Comorbidity is even more common
– CVS Diseases, Arthritis, Parkinson’s, Infections etc commonly co exist
• Drug - Drug - Drug - Drug - Drug - Drug interactions are common
2 0 0 4 L E A D E R S H I P P R O G R A M F O R M E D I C A L D I R E C T O R S &
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6-5 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Why is the geriatric population so special ?
• Physiological Milieu is very different– Renal Function decreases exponentially with age– Liver function also affected with age– Blood Brain Barrier becomes leakier– Redistribution of adipose tissue– Fragile state of homeostasis
The Bottom Line -- Drugs behave very differently in the geriatric
population
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6-6 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Managing Drug Cocktails and reducing ADR in the Elderly
Analgesics
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6-7 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Analgesia in Elderly
• Little evidence supporting use of NSAID’s in chronic Osteoarthritis
• Tylenol # 3 -- Should be avoided in elderly• Too much codeine, not enough Tylenol• #1 prescribed medication
• Appropriate analgesia - Tylenol 1 gm PO QID• Use narcotics (Morphine) for breakthrough pain
NSAID’s
• Depressogenic• Can cause acute confusion and delirium• Gastritis and GI Bleeds• Renal Failure• Exacerbation of hypertension and CHF• Others
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6-8 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Meperidine (Demerol)
• Should NOT be used in the elderly• Very short half life and therefore requires
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6-10 The Centre for
Aging and Health
Tricyclic Antidepressants cont.
• Hypotension ----> Falls and fractures• Cardiotoxic• Sedation and drowsiness• Sexual Dysfunction• Lethal in overdose
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• The first SSRI on the market in Canada• Very agitating in the elderly• Metabolite - long half life a problem in the frail
elderly• Insomnia more common in the elderly• Should be avoided in geriatrics
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6-11 The Centre for
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Anti depressants
• Many choices available• Many different classes• Most are efficacious in the elderly• Tolerability and side effect profile most important
factor in making the right choice• Compliance is a major issue in the elderly• Frequency of administration is therefore
important issue
Anti depressants
• Features of depression is important in delineating which anti depressant to choose
• Associated with anxiety• Agitated depression• Associated with Insomnia• Psychomotor retardation• Psychotic features• Previous response to anti depressants• Family history of response to anti depressants
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and interdisciplinary approach• Problem drugs in elderly should be avoided where
possible and alternatives must be sought• Close monitoring of drug use is critical in the
elderly• Particular attention must be paid to drugs causing
serious side effects
Summary Points
• Geriatrics involves complex comorbid illnesses• Geriatrics focuses on multidisciplinary care• Geriatrics -- a special population• Geriatrics -- Drugs behave differently in the
elderly• Side effect profiles -- “Killers v/s non Killers