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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Which Are The Unsafe Antibiotics For An Elderly Person?

i dont have money to pay now. if i knew that i would have to pay for the answer, i would not have waste your time. i am a senior citizen, on a fixed income. i am trying to find out what medications are not good for me. i have an 14 year old adopted kid to raise and my social security check, doesnt allow me much money left over. Because i cant pay, i cant find out if this medication is going to kill me like it did Prince. i am sorry, but i am unable to pay for a Yes or No answer. Thank you anyway....
Fri, 5 Aug 2016
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Generally antibiotics are used more commonly by elderly than younger patients because of their more susceptibility of infection due to depressed immunity. Physiologic changes associated with aging result in altered pharmacokinetics and accurate estimates of renal function cannot be made with standard methods. Because of a higher prevalence of other chronic diseases, there is a greater possibility for polypharmacy and a resulting risk of an adverse event & drug interaction. Altered physiology leads to altered pharmacokinetics, so the most appropriate dose in an elderly person may not be the dose that is used in the general population. So it is very difficult to specify particular antibiotics which are completely safe for elderly. It depends upon the clinician, your comorbidities and concomitant medications. But in general,
1.     lowest effective dose is considered safe in elderly
2.     use of more than one antibiotic at a time is avoided
3.     treatment duration is kept minimum
4.     polypharmacy is avoided as far as possible
5.     use only when you need and avoid indiscriminate use
6.     preferably select antibiotic after culture and sensitivity report
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Which Are The Unsafe Antibiotics For An Elderly Person?

Generally antibiotics are used more commonly by elderly than younger patients because of their more susceptibility of infection due to depressed immunity. Physiologic changes associated with aging result in altered pharmacokinetics and accurate estimates of renal function cannot be made with standard methods. Because of a higher prevalence of other chronic diseases, there is a greater possibility for polypharmacy and a resulting risk of an adverse event & drug interaction. Altered physiology leads to altered pharmacokinetics, so the most appropriate dose in an elderly person may not be the dose that is used in the general population. So it is very difficult to specify particular antibiotics which are completely safe for elderly. It depends upon the clinician, your comorbidities and concomitant medications. But in general, 1. lowest effective dose is considered safe in elderly 2. use of more than one antibiotic at a time is avoided 3. treatment duration is kept minimum 4. polypharmacy is avoided as far as possible 5. use only when you need and avoid indiscriminate use 6. preferably select antibiotic after culture and sensitivity report Thanks