ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease is the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly,
and cardiovascular drugs are the most widely prescribed drugs in this population. Since
many cardiovascular drugs have narrow therapeutic windows in the elderly, the incidence of
adverse effects from using these drugs is also highest in the elderly. The appropriate use of
cardiovascular drugs in the elderly requires knowledge of age-related physiologic changes,
the effects of concomitant diseases that alter the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic
effects of cardiovascular drugs, and drug interactions.
