NURS 2050 Lecture Notes - Renal Blood Flow, Renal Physiology, Pediatrics
11 Apr 2013
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Document Summary
What influences the kind of response produced by medications: age, race and ethnicity, gender, genetics, body weight and composition, pathophysiology, kidney disease, liver disease, gi disorders. * children are not just small adults when it comes to prescribing medications. * few studies to evaluate safety and efficacy. * 2/3 of drugs used in children have not been tested in the pediatric population. Infants have five immature pharmacokinetic processes: absorption, distribution. Blood-brain barrier: hepatic metabolism, renal excretion. * gastric acidity (very low 24 hours after birth) * infancy becomes rapid (more than adults) * young and thin absorption is greater and risk of toxicity. * newborns very low (risk of toxicity with medications with hepatic metabolism) * capacity of the liver increases after 1 month and reaches adult levels a few months later. * young children tend to metabolize drugs faster than adults elevated until 2 yo and then gradually declines. Unique challenges to administration and adherence in pediatrics.
