NURS 6521 Week 1 Discussion: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics essay response 2

NURS 6521 Week 1 Discussion: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics essay response 2

Thanks for the thorough post! I have had similar experiences when working on a trauma floor. I have had this happen more often in elderly patients. As you mentioned, age can have a significant effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of morphine. Elderly patients are also at a higher risk of experiencing respiratory suppression with the use of opiates. Some other factors that could affect the pharmacokinetics of IV morphine include comorbidities such as hepatic or renal disease and hypothyroidism. (Davis’ Drug Guide, 2017).

When administering IV morphine, the patient should be closely observed as morphine has a rapid onset. Additionally, vital signs such as reservations, blood pressure and pulse should be monitored continually as well as level of consciousness.

References

Vallerand, A. H., Sanoski, C. A., & Deglin, J. H. (2017). Morphine. Davis’s Drug Guide (15th ed.). F.A. Davis Company.\