Fundamentals of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy: An Evidence-Based Approach

A change is coming. By 2050, the world's 65-and-older population will double, and the 85 and older population will mushroom fivefold. As the number of older adults surge, so too will the number of medication management challenges pharmacists and other health care providers experience. For the geriatric population, complex cases are often the norm, and providing safe and effective care can mean considering assessments of function and cognition, contacting multiple prescribers, and understanding a patient's history, beliefs, and care giving situation before making therapeutic decisions.

Fundamentals of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy: An Evidence-Based Approach gives practitioners the information they need to improve outcomes and personalize care for elderly patients. Section 1 explores important foundational concepts such as social and behavioral issues, ethical considerations, biomedical principles of aging, geriatric assessment, and polypharmacy. Section 2 covers common disease states in aging adults, providing evidence-based treatment information as well as helpful tips for minimizing common problems and contending with clinical controversies. Particular attention is given to how treatment can differ along the spectrum of active elderly to frail elderly patients.