Use of cardiovascular medications in the elderly.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients aged 65 and above. Although elderly persons represent only 12.4% of the US population, they account for about a third of drug expenditures. However the appropriate use of cardiovascular medications in these patients has been shown to reduce the rate of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The normal aging and the disease process in the elderly result in significant changes at the structural and molecular level in the elderly. The changes that take place in the autonomic nervous system, the kidneys, and the liver in the elderly modify the metabolism and clinical effects of most medications. Elderly patients are also susceptible to side effects and adverse drug reactions. Physicians should have a clear understanding of the normal aging processes, the abnormal changes due to disease process and the changes in the pharmacology of drugs in the elderly to deliver proper care to the elderly patient.