Drug therapies in older adults (part 2).

In this, the second of two articles, we continue our evaluation of drug therapies in older adults. Having previously described the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic consequences of physiological ageing, along with the challenge of appropriate prescribing, we proposed four key questions which should be considered when prescribing for this cohort of the population. Does this agent reflect the priorities of the patient? Are there alternatives - with greater efficacy, effectiveness or tolerability - that might be considered? Are the dose, frequency and formulation appropriate? How does this prescription relate to concurrent medication? We also highlighted the reliance on subgroup analysis to demonstrate the efficacy of drug therapies for older adults in osteoporosis and the underutilisation of appropriate treatments for patients with Alzheimer's disease as a result of flawed guidelines.