When we think about how age changes how our body processes medicine, it’s interesting to see how children and older adults respond differently.
For Children:
Building Enzymes: Babies are born with immature systems that break down drugs. For example, the CYP450 system, which helps with this process, might not work well until a few months after a baby is born. This means doctors might need to change the amount of medicine given.
Body Water and Fat: Kids generally have more water in their bodies and less fat. This changes how medicine moves around in their bodies and affects how well it works.
Growing Up: As kids grow, their metabolism speeds up. This means that as they age, they might need bigger doses of medicine to get the same effect.
For Older Adults:
Liver Changes: As people get older, their liver may not work as well. This can slow down how quickly medicines are processed. As a result, the effects of drugs could last longer or become harmful.
Kidney Function: The kidneys also tend to work less effectively with age. Since many medicines leave the body through the kidneys, careful dosing is important to avoid problems.
Multiple Medications: Older people often take several drugs at once. This can lead to interactions between the drugs, making it more complicated for the body to process them.
In both groups—young kids and older adults—doctors need to be very careful when prescribing medicines. It’s important to adjust for their specific needs to prevent side effects and to make sure the treatment works well!
When we think about how age changes how our body processes medicine, it’s interesting to see how children and older adults respond differently.
For Children:
Building Enzymes: Babies are born with immature systems that break down drugs. For example, the CYP450 system, which helps with this process, might not work well until a few months after a baby is born. This means doctors might need to change the amount of medicine given.
Body Water and Fat: Kids generally have more water in their bodies and less fat. This changes how medicine moves around in their bodies and affects how well it works.
Growing Up: As kids grow, their metabolism speeds up. This means that as they age, they might need bigger doses of medicine to get the same effect.
For Older Adults:
Liver Changes: As people get older, their liver may not work as well. This can slow down how quickly medicines are processed. As a result, the effects of drugs could last longer or become harmful.
Kidney Function: The kidneys also tend to work less effectively with age. Since many medicines leave the body through the kidneys, careful dosing is important to avoid problems.
Multiple Medications: Older people often take several drugs at once. This can lead to interactions between the drugs, making it more complicated for the body to process them.
In both groups—young kids and older adults—doctors need to be very careful when prescribing medicines. It’s important to adjust for their specific needs to prevent side effects and to make sure the treatment works well!