Chapter 7: Prescribing Strategies for Older Adults 3 Contact Hours
By: Patricia Weiser, PharmD Author Disclosure: Patricia Weiser, PharmD, and Colibri Healthcare, LLC do not have any actual or potential conflicts of interest in relation to this lesson. Universal Activity Number UAN: 0607-0000-23-019-H99-T Target Audience: Pharmacists in a community-based setting. To Obtain Credit: A minimum test score of 75 percent is needed to obtain a credit. Please submit your answers either by mail, fax, or online at EliteLearning.com/Book Questions regarding statements of credit and other customer service issues should be directed to 1-888-666-9053. This lesson is $19.95. Learning objectives After completing this course, the learner should be able to: Explain the importance of applying pharmacologic principles to the medication selection process. Differentiate the four major components that comprise the pharmacokinetic aspects of medication exposure. Identify age-related changes in organ function and/or body composition associated with adverse drug effects. Activity Type: Knowledge-based Initial Release Date: 7/26/2023 Expiration Date: 7/26/2026 Implicit bias in healthcare Implicit bias significantly affects how healthcare professionals perceive and make treatment decisions, ultimately resulting in disparities in health outcomes. These biases, often unconscious and unintentional, can shape behavior and produce differences in medical care along various lines, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. Healthcare disparities stemming from implicit bias can manifest in several ways. For example, a healthcare provider might unconsciously give les s attention to a patient or make assumptions about their medical needs based on race, gender, or age. The unconscious assumptions can lead to delayed or inadequate care, misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, all of which can adversely impact health outcomes. Addressing Introduction Safe and rational medication prescribing requires consideration of numerous factors associated with a specific patient, condition, and desired treatment outcome. Subsets of patients identified as special populations based on age or another clinical or demographic characteristic warrant even more caution and consideration. Older adults, generally defined as those age 65 years or older, are one such segment of the U.S. population that continues to grow. Other terms to describe people in this age demographic include elderly and geriatric , but no universally accepted definition of these terms or an associated continuum exists. As improved living standards and healthcare innovations in developed countries have increased average life expectancy and the number of adults reaching advanced ages, the medical complexity of aging adults has created growing challenges. More diseases and medical conditions can be managed chronically, with medications as the backbone of most treatment approaches. Thus, the perceived benefit of longer life spans may come at the expense of additional chronic conditions that are treatable with more medications. Additionally, the complexity of
Colibri Healthcare, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Participants of the session who complete the evaluation and provide accurate NABP e-Profile information will have their credit for 3 contact hour (0.3 CEU) submitted to CPE Monitor as early as within 10 business days after course completion and no later than 60 days after the event. Please know that if accurate e-Profile information is not provided within 60 days of the event, credit cannot be claimed after that time. The participant is accountable for verifying the accurate posting of CE credit to their CPE Monitor account within 60 days. Compare several reliable information sources to guide the selection or avoidance of medication use in older adults. Interpret the relationship between pharmacogenomics and medication response. Apply the core elements of a comprehensive medication review to patient care. implicit bias in healthcare is crucial for achieving equity in medical treatment. Strategies to combat these biases involve education and awareness programs for healthcare professionals. These programs help individuals recognize and acknowledge their biases, fostering a more empathetic and unbiased approach to patient care. Additionally, implementing policies and procedures prioritizing equitable treatment for all patients can play a pivotal role in reducing healthcare disparities. Ultimately, confronting implicit bias in healthcare is essential to creating a more just and equitable healthcare system where everyone receives fair and equal treatment regardless of their background or characteristics. the U.S. healthcare system has spurred various initiatives such as the Quadruple Aim, which seeks to improve population health, enhance the patient experience, reduce costs, and improve the healthcare provider experience (Bodenheimer & Sinsky, 2014; Arnetz, 2020). This review will describe underlying factors that influence a geriatric patient’s response to medications, identify medications whose use in elderly patients confers added safety risks, and review resources available to prescribers in selecting the right medication for the right geriatric patient. Self-Assessment Quiz Question #1 At what year of age does the term older adult begin to apply from a medical perspective?
a. 50. b. 65. c. 72. d. 80.
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Book Code: RPTTX2024
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