Case Study Questions and Answers

Case Study Questions and Answers

Question 1

Changes in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes of the patient may impact their pharmacological treatment. For example, if a patient’s renal function deteriorates, a lower dose may be required to achieve the desired effect (Thürmann, 2020). In addition, if the patient’s heart function changes, the doctor may need to adjust the medication dosage to ensure that the patient is receiving the correct amount of medication. In addition, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are affected by age (Thürmann, 2020). For example, drug clearance can be reduced as renal and hepatic function declines with age, increasing drug concentration and side effects. In addition, the pharmacodynamics of a drug may be affected by changes in cardiac function as people age.

Question 2

The doctor may suggest monitoring the patient’s renal and hepatic functions to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan. Additional cardiac tests are performed to evaluate the patient’s cardiac function (Byon et al., 2019). They should also make any necessary adjustments to the patient’s drug therapy based on test results and encourage the patient to stick to their drug therapy regimen for the best results. The patient’s current pharmacological treatment plan may be more effective. As a result, drug interactions and side effects are possible. Furthermore, the patient’s blood pressure is unusually high. Therefore, the patient’s medications should be changed to achieve the desired blood pressure level (Byon et al., 2019). In addition, the patient’s medication regimen is untrustworthy. Therefore, his prescriptions should be changed so that he strictly follows the instructions. The patient will also consume medications in large amounts. Therefore, his medications should be adjusted to take the fewest doses possible while getting the desired results.

Question 3

The patient’s age may influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. For example, the ability of the body to metabolize and excrete drugs is diminished with advancing age, which may result in an increase in half-life and a decrease in clearance (Peeters et al., 2019). Because of this, the patient’s system may become saturated with the medication, which raises the risk of experiencing adverse effects. In addition, because older patients are likely to be more sensitive to the effects of the drug, age may also play a role in the pharmacodynamics of the medication.

Question 4

Changes in the patient’s pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics may affect their treatment. For instance, if the patient’s body cannot metabolize and eliminate the medication as effectively as it should, the medication may continue to be present in the person’s system for a more extended period. As a result, it increases the likelihood that the individual will experience adverse effects from taking the medication (Peeters et al., 2019). In addition, the individual’s dose may decrease to prevent unfavorable results if they are more sensitive to the adverse effects caused by the medication.

Question 5

Adjusting the patient’s medicine dose will help improve drug treatment. The dosage may need to be adjusted if the patient’s body cannot effectively metabolize and excrete the medication (Reus et al., 2018). The dose will reduce if a patient is sensitive to the drug’s side effects. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are affected by heart disease (Reus et al., 2018). Drug interactions and side effects are found in patients with cardiovascular disease. Their history of heart disease will impact their heart function. There will be drug poisoning when drug elimination is reduced. The ability of a patient to take medications is impacted by heart disease (Reus et al., 2018). Patients with heart disease may live shorter lives, limiting their ability to take long-term medications.

References

Byon, W., Garonzik, S., Boyd, R. A., & Frost, C. E. (2019). Apixaban: a clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic review. Clinical pharmacokinetics, 58(10), 1265-1279.

Peeters, L. E. J., Kester, M. P., Feyz, L., Van Den Bemt, P. M. L. A., Koch, B. C. P., Van Gelder, T., & Versmissen, J. (2019). Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic considerations in the treatment of the elderly patient with hypertension. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology, 15(4), 287-297.

Reus, V. I., Fochtmann, L. J., Bukstein, O., Eyler, A. E., Hilty, D. M., Horvitz-Lennon, M., ... & Hong, S. H. (2018). The American Psychiatric Association practice guideline for the pharmacological treatment of patients with alcohol use disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(1), 86-90.

Thürmann, P. A. (2020). Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in older adults. Current Opinion in Anesthesiology, 33(1), 109-113.