Geriatric pharmacology.

With the dramatic demographic change that has resulted in the "graying of the population" has come a compelling interest in the health and health concerns of older adults. The increasing incidence and prevalence of systemic diseases, especially chronic diseases, among older adults, and the concomitant increase in medication use, have provided impetus for the subspecialty of geriatric pharmacology. This article reviews the physiologic changes, nonphysiologic aspects, and pharmacologic changes associated with aging and their implications for dental practice.