Physiological changes
CPD activity
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The process of ageing brings about a number of physical changes to the body that affect a person's vulnerability to adverse drug reactions and medicine adherence.
Age starts to affect drug handling at around the age of 40 years, but it is not clinically significant until around the age of 75 years. Ageing causes a progressive loss in function to most body mechanisms, as well as a loss of total body water and lean mass, and an increase in fat. These changes have significant implications for drug handling and therapeutics, which may force prescribers to adjust drug selection, dose and frequency.