Introduction

Although renal function declines substantially with age, it is usually sufficient for removing bodily wastes and regulating the volume and composition of extracellular fluid. Nevertheless, reduced renal function decreases the elderly person's ability to respond to various physiologic and pathologic stresses. Doses of many drugs excreted primarily by the kidneys (eg, digoxin, aminoglycosides) require adjustment to compensate for decreases in renal function.