The influence of age on the pharmacokinetics of butorphanol

Geriatric individuals oftn exhibit an increased sensitivity or altered response to medications, due to several factors. Pharmacodynamic changes or modification in the pharmacokinetic properties of the agent, which result from the physiologic changes associated with increasing age, frequently result in variance from common manifestations of pharmacologic action. Conversely, documented changes in pharmacokinetic parameters of drugs administered to elders may not always produce a clinically significant and observable change. Butorphanol tartrate is an opioid analgesic with agonist and antagonist activity. At present , there has been no investigation regarding the influence of age on the pharmacokinetic disposition of this drug, although such disposition is well characterized in young, health human beings. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relative disposition of butorphanol tartrate in young and elderly male volunteers. In addition, data were collected to evaluate the effect age may have on the clinical manifestations of the common side effects of butorphanol.