ABSTRACT
The implications of drug-nutrient interactions become meaningful for two reasons: the long-term uses of medications by persons as they age, and the dramatic toxicity and efficacy of pharmacokinetics. The scope of food-medication reactions plays a role in food intake, nutrient absorption, nutrient metabolism, nutrient excretion, absorption of drugs, and drug action. Diminishment of lean body mass in relation to total body weight results in higher drug-to-weight ratios when standard doses are used. Decline in cardiac function produces delays in drug arrival at the site of action and delays in removal from the site. Most drugs bind to serum protein, but a decline in this protein in the aged elevates blood levels of free drugs. With the advent of the potassium-sparing diuretics, a more effective way of conserving body potassium has been discovered. These drugs are more easily tolerated and more reliable than potassium supplements for elevating serum potassium during diuretic therapy.
