Question

Pharmacodynamic changes due to individual variation lead to differences in drug responses between individuals. In elderly patients, the maximal molecular response to the drug heparin, an anticoagulant, is reduced compared to younger patients. This means that the ____________ of the drug is reduced with age, and so a lower ____________ would be observed in elderly patients compared to younger patients.

a) efficacy; Emax
b) efficacy; EC50
c) potency; Emax
d) potency; EC50

Answer 1

The maximal molecular response to heparin is reduced in elderly patients compared to younger patients, indicating a reduction in potency with age and a lower EC50 value in elderly patients.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is d) potency; EC50.

When we talk about drugs, potency refers to the amount of a drug needed to produce a specific effect. It is often measured by the concentration of the drug required to achieve 50% of the maximal response (EC50). Efficacy, on the other hand, refers to the maximal response that a drug can produce.

In the case of heparin, an anticoagulant, the drug response is reduced in elderly patients compared to younger patients. This means that the potency of the drug is reduced with age, and a lower EC50 value would be observed in elderly patients.