Drugs & aging
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Pain is undertreated in older populations. At the same time, increased use of opioids is of concern in the Western world. ⋯ Pain remains undertreated in the community-dwelling older population, although the use of regular prescribed analgesics increased between 1999 and 2019. The use of NSAIDs has decreased, while the use of paracetamol has increased. Daily opioid use has remained modest.
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The Cross-Talk between Age, Hypertension and Inflammation in COVID-19 Patients: Therapeutic Targets.
This paper presents a brief overview of the complex interaction between age, hypertension, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), inflammation, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is more frequent and more severe in comorbid elderly patients, especially those with hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or cardiovascular diseases. There are concerns regarding the use of RAAS inhibitors in patients with COVID-19. ⋯ During the COVID-19 pandemic, various therapeutic approaches have been tested, including antiviral drugs, interferon, anti-interleukins, hydroxychloroquine, anti-inflammatories, immunoglobulins from recovered patients, and heparins. Some of these therapeutic approaches did not prove to be beneficial, or even induced serious complications. Based on current evidence, in the early stages of the disease modulation of the inflammatory response through the inhibition of neprilysin and modulation of the RAAS could affect the course and outcome of COVID-19.
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Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is an abnormal blood pressure response to standing, which is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as syncope, falls, cognitive impairment, and mortality. Medical therapy is one the most common causes of OH, since numerous cardiovascular and psychoactive medications may interfere with the blood pressure response to standing, leading to drug-related OH. Additionally, hypotensive medications frequently overlap with other OH risk factors (e.g., advanced age, neurogenic autonomic dysfunction, and comorbidities), thus increasing the risk of symptoms and complications. ⋯ If symptoms persist after the review of hypotensive medications, despite adherence to non-pharmacological interventions, specific drug treatment for OH can be considered. In this narrative review we present an overview of drugs acting on the cardiovascular and central nervous system that may potentially impair the orthostatic blood pressure response and we provide practical suggestions that may be helpful to guide medical therapy optimization in patients with OH. In addition, we summarize the available strategies for drug treatment of OH in patients with persistent symptoms despite non-pharmacological interventions.
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Opioid-induced constipation (OIC), the most common side effect of opioid treatment, is under-recognized and undertreated in older patients. Naldemedine, an oral, peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist (PAMORA), is approved in Japan, the United States, and the European Union for treatment of OIC in adult patients. ⋯ NCT01965158, NCT01993940, NCT01965652.
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Medications endorsed by clinical practice guidelines, such as cardiovascular medications, could still have risks that outweigh potential benefits, and could thus warrant deprescribing. ⋯ We adapted a new framework of patient-reported barriers and facilitators specific to deprescribing cardiovascular medications. In addition to addressing barriers previously described, future deprescribing interventions targeting cardiovascular medications must also address uncertainty and conflicting attitudes.