NURS 6521 Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Week 2 Assignment

NURS 6521 Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Week 2 Assignment Age influence on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes Stroke often occurs when the blood supply to the affected part of the brain is blocked by fatty deposits or due to the rupture of blood vessels in the brain. Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death in the united states, and it is a major cause of serious disability in both adults and young people (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2020). Anyone can develop stroke at any given time, but certain factors, for instance, high blood pressure, diabetic obesity, and hyperlipidemia can increase an individual chance of developing a stroke. Effective use of drug therapies in older patients with stroke and other health conditions often present with some safety challenges. The increased complexity of chronic care for older adults has led to polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication use, which has contributed significantly to induced diseases and drug interactions (Koronkowski, Eisenhower, & Marcum, 2016). The factor I selected for this assignment is age. In older patients, receptor sensitivity to drugs at a given serum level can either decrease or increase, and this means that lower levels of some medication can produce an elevated effect. In contrast, higher levels of other drugs may produce a diminished effect. The physiologic changes that occur during the aging process result in several alterations in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs (Sera & Uritsky, 2016). As a person ages, the body composition changes, resulting in an increase in body fat and a decrease in lean body mass. In this scenario, the patient has a long history of stokes, as well as other health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The patient was taking Glipizide 10mg due to diabetes as this drug is used in most cases as an adjunct to diet and Running Head: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders WW W 1 exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. In older diabetic patients, Glipizide is usually recommended only for initial therapy due to increased risk for hypoglycemia. Besides, Glipizide has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders because it lacks selectivity for pancreatic beta-cells, allowing it to bind to other receptors, in addition to those on cardiomyocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (Douros, et al., 2017).