Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 94%
Simulated
The nurse practicing in a long term care facility recognizes that elderly clients are at greater risk for drug toxicity than younger adults because of which of the following physiological changes of advancing age?
Correct answer
B
Rationale
Elders have less body water and more fat. Because elderly persons have decreased lean body tissue/water in which to distribute medications, more drug remains in the circulatory system with potential for drug toxicity. Increased body fat results in greater amounts of fat-soluble drugs being absorbed, leaving less in circulation, thus increasing the duration of action of the drug.