Treating asthma in the older patient: is there a place for leukotriene modifiers? Drugs Aging 2006;23(6):451-9
Date
07/29/2006Pubmed ID
16872230DOI
10.2165/00002512-200623060-00002Scopus ID
2-s2.0-33746716269 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 2 CitationsAbstract
Asthma is a common airway disease found in people of all ages, although most studies of asthma therapies are focused on adolescent and young adults. Little information exists on the use of asthma therapeutics in the older patient (>65 years of age). The newest therapeutic class to be released in the US for the treatment of asthma is the leukotriene modifiers. These medications (either receptor antagonists or enzyme inhibitors) have been found to be beneficial in younger patients with asthma, but their potential role in older patients is less clear. In this review, the data regarding the use of these medications in older patients are examined, as are the epidemiological and pathophysiological issues regarding asthma in this growing patient population. On the basis of the two published reports of leukotriene modifiers in the older patient, we conclude that leukotriene modifiers are useful in this population, but like other controller therapies for asthma, they are less effective in the older population.
Author List
Grayson MH, Korenblat PEMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AgedAnti-Asthmatic Agents
Asthma
Clinical Trials as Topic
Humans
Leukotriene Antagonists
Leukotrienes
