Je obezita a malnutrice u geriatrických pacientů problémem z hlediska dávkování analgetik?

Both obesity and malnutrition in the elderly population are raising concerns. As majority of pharmacokinetic data are obtained from subjects with a healthy weight range in productive age, administration of correct dosing of drugs to obese elderly patients is quite challenging. All phases of the pharmacokinetics of drugs (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination) are potentially affected by the effect of aging but also by obesity or malnutrition. These changes are often potentiated in the case of a combination of obesity and older age. The problem is also that not all drugs are affected in the same way, therefore it is necessary to know the influence of age and obesity on the kinetics of the particular substance being assessed. 50% of seniors suffer from pain at home and up to 80% during hospitalization. In addition to general knowledge about the effect of age but also obesity and malnutrition on the kinetics of drugs, this overview presents the pharmacokinetic changes of analgesics caused by both obesity and malnutrition.