Pharmacotherapy in Older People - October 2019

Introduction

In Europe and the Western World in particular, the proportion of older persons is dramatically increasing, which is predicted to add tremendous extra pressure to the strained health care systems.

Cardiovascular drugs are among the most prevalent drugs administered to older people. In particular diuretics, antihypertensives, NOACs, antiarrhythmics, lipid lowering drugs and glucose lowering drugs. All these drug classes can lead to increased frailty and should in particular not be prescribed on a one-size-fits-all-basis to older people, and polypharmacy should be countered.

Our goal is for all participants to leave the meeting with the improved competence and confidence to deliver better, personalized therapy of older people, which in turn will have a positive impact on services and patient outcomes. 

Resources

Access the slides from the speakers

• Session 1a: Demographical developments and feasibility of treating older patients in a short stay unit- “The Elderly” trial. - T. A. Schmidt
• Session 1b: Drug metabolism in older people - J. Tamargo
• Session 2: The problem of Hypo- and hyperkalemia in older people - K. Kjeldsen
• Session 3: Anti-hypertensive treatment in older patients - N Beckett
• Session 4: Therapeutic decisions in the elderly – M Sohal
• Session 5: Lipid lowering agent selection in the elderly- H Drexel
• Session 6a: Tight glycemic control is necessary – PRO: H Drexel
• Session 6b: Tight glycemic control is necessary – CONTRA: T A Schmidt
• Session 8: ANTIPLATELET THERAPY - Guidelines & beyond: S Wassman
• Session 9: Problems with polypharmacy in older people – J Tamargo

Scientific Programme

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Course directors

Juan Carlos Kaski, MD, DSc, FESC

Keld Kjeldsen, MD, DSc

Heinz Drexel, MD, DSc, FESC