Pharmacology in Older Adults Flashcards
6 cards from real Gerontological Nurse Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pharmacology in Older Adults flashcards as text
Which pharmacokinetic change is most common in older adults that affects drug clearance?
Answer: Decreased hepatic blood flow and renal function
Aging reduces hepatic blood flow and glomerular filtration rate, leading to decreased drug clearance and increased risk of toxicity.
The Beers Criteria is a clinical tool used specifically to:
Answer: Identify potentially inappropriate medications for adults aged 65 and older
The Beers Criteria, maintained by the American Geriatrics Society, lists medications considered potentially inappropriate for older adults due to higher risk of adverse effects.
An 80-year-old patient is prescribed a new medication. Which age-related change most significantly increases the risk of drug accumulation?
Answer: Decreased creatinine clearance
Decreased creatinine clearance in older adults slows renal excretion of drugs and their metabolites, leading to accumulation and potential toxicity.
Which medication class listed in the Beers Criteria is most associated with causing falls in older adults?
Answer: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines cause sedation, cognitive impairment, and impaired balance in older adults, significantly increasing fall risk.
A gerontological nurse is reviewing an older adult's medications and notes decreased serum albumin. What is the primary clinical concern?
Answer: Increased free (unbound) drug concentration leading to toxicity
Low serum albumin means fewer protein-binding sites, so more free drug circulates in the bloodstream, increasing the risk of adverse effects and toxicity.
Which age-related change increases the volume of distribution for fat-soluble drugs in older adults?
Answer: Increased proportion of body fat relative to lean muscle mass
Because older adults have a higher ratio of body fat to lean mass, fat-soluble drugs distribute more widely, prolonging their duration of action.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- nursingworld.org — Test delivery, eligibility, exam format, test dates, time limit, score validity, passing score, score release · verified Oct 2026