Case study- Pharmocolgy and Elderly Patient

• List three questions you might ask the patient it she were in your office. Provide a rationale for why you might ask these questions.

• Identify people in the patient’s life you would need to speak to or get feedback from to further assess the patient’s situation. Include specific questions you might ask these people and why

. • Explain what, if any, physical exams, and diagnostic tests would be appropriate for the patient and how the results would be used.

• List a differential diagnosis for the patient. Identify the one that you think is most likely and explain why.

• List two pharmacologic agents and their dosing that would be appropriate for the patient’s antidepressant therapy based on pharmacokinetics and phannacodynamics. From a mechanism of action perspective, provide a rationale for why you might choose one agent over the other.

• For the drug therapy you select, identify any contraindications to use or alterations in dosing that may need to be considered based on ethical prescribing or decision-making. Discuss why the contraindication/alteration you identify exists. That is, what would be problematic with the use of this drug in individuals based on ethical prescribing guidelines or decision-making?