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Geriatric Pharmacotherapy Flashcards

7 cards from real MTM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Geriatric Pharmacotherapy flashcards as text

  1. Which pharmacokinetic change in older adults most significantly increases the risk of accumulation of lipophilic drugs like diazepam?

    Answer: Increased volume of distribution due to higher body fat

    Aging increases body fat relative to lean mass, expanding the volume of distribution for lipophilic drugs and prolonging their half-life.

  2. An 80-year-old woman is prescribed naproxen for osteoarthritis. Which risk is of greatest concern in this patient?

    Answer: GI bleeding and renal impairment

    NSAIDs in older adults carry significant risk of GI bleeding and renal impairment, making them potentially inappropriate per Beers Criteria.

  3. A 75-year-old male with heart failure and atrial fibrillation is on digoxin. His renal function has declined (CrCl 30 mL/min). What is the most appropriate action?

    Answer: Reduce the digoxin dose and monitor serum levels closely

    Digoxin is renally cleared and requires dose reduction in renal impairment to avoid toxicity; serum level monitoring is essential.

  4. Which medication class is most associated with causing orthostatic hypotension and falls in elderly patients?

    Answer: Alpha-1 adrenergic blockers

    Alpha-1 blockers reduce vascular tone and can cause significant orthostatic hypotension, increasing fall risk in older adults.

  5. What is the recommended starting principle when initiating pharmacotherapy in geriatric patients?

    Answer: Start low, go slow

    'Start low, go slow' minimizes the risk of adverse effects due to age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in older adults.

  6. Which antihypertensive class is considered first-line and well-tolerated in older adults with isolated systolic hypertension?

    Answer: Thiazide diuretics or calcium channel blockers

    Thiazide diuretics and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are preferred first-line agents for isolated systolic hypertension in older adults.

  7. An older patient is on multiple medications including a tricyclic antidepressant. Which anticholinergic side effect is most dangerous in the elderly?

    Answer: Urinary retention and cognitive impairment

    Anticholinergic drugs in the elderly commonly cause urinary retention and cognitive impairment, which are serious and often underrecognized adverse effects.