Final answer:
Secondary effects of certain medications in older adults include central nervous system depression, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, impaired function, anticholinergic effects, and heart rate reduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
Secondary Effects of Medications in Older Adults:
The secondary effects of narcotic analgesics, histamine receptor antagonists, and antihypertensive agents in older adults can vary but may include central nervous system depression, drowsiness, and loss of consciousness at higher doses. Narcotic analgesics, which can be both analgesic reducing pain without loss of consciousness, and narcotic in nature when inducing drowsiness, also have the potential for nausea, vomiting impaired motor and sensory function, and impaired cognition. Histamine receptor antagonists, which act on the parasympathetic system, can produce anticholinergic effects while antihypertensive drugs such as beta blockers can lead to decreased heart rate (bradycardia) or even heart stoppage if overprescribed.
It is important to consider the balance between therapeutic benefits and the potential for adverse effects in older adults, as they may be more susceptible to secondary effects due to a variety of physiological changes that occur with aging, including alterations in drug metabolism and changes in cell function.