Clinical Research and the Geriatric Patient: An Assessment of Needs

Medications represent an essential form of treatment for many chronic diseases of the elderly. Most medications, however, have been inadequately studied in the elderly to provide information on their pharmacokinetics pharmacodynamics, efficacy and safety following chronic administration. There are numerous physiologic and psychologic changes occurring in older persons that can greatly affect the need for, action of and response to drug therapy. Most information about drugs and beneficial effects of drug treatment has been derived from individuals less than 65 years of age. This paper reviews reasons why clinical research on drug therapy is needed in this age group and identifies areas of drug research that should receive increased attention of clinical investigators in the future.