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Older patients use many drugs, while there is hardly any information about the effect and safety of these in elderly patients. It appears that only 56%, and 20% of the information required by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concerning use of medication in the elderly is stated in the patient information leaflet and in the Dutch Pharmacotherapeutic Compass, respectively. The Expertise Centre PHarmacotherapy in Old Persons (Ephor) gathered all available information about drug prescribing in older patients for a number of drug groups from national and international literature, and provided prescribing advice. This information will be made available to users of the Dutch Pharmacotherapeutic Compass, for quick accessibility.

Older patients use many drugs, while there is hardly any information about the effect and safety of these in elderly patients. It appears that only 56%, and 20% of the information required by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concerning use of medication in the elderly is stated in the patient information leaflet and in the Dutch Pharmacotherapeutic Compass, respectively. The Expertise Centre PHarmacotherapy in Old Persons (Ephor) gathered all available information about drug prescribing in older patients for a number of drug groups from national and international literature, and provided prescribing advice. This information will be made available to users of the Dutch Pharmacotherapeutic Compass, for quick accessibility.

Drug therapy in cystic fibrosis is focused on pulmonary infection and inflammation, intestinal obstruction and the substitution of pancreas enzymes. Most morbidity and mortality arises from the pulmonary infection and subsequent tissue destruction and deterioration of lung function. Antibiotic treatment is the mainstay of therapy. Nebulised antibiotics improve lung function and the incidence of acute exacerbations is reduced in patients chronically infected with Pseudomonas. Macrolides play a special role probably due to an antiinflammatory effect. Inhalation of rhDNAse improves lung function and decreases deterioration of lung function. New therapeutics directed at the CFTR defect are not yet available. Pharmacokinetics in CF patients may differ from those in healthy volunteers, probably due to differences in body composition.

Drug therapy in cystic fibrosis is focused on pulmonary infection and inflammation, intestinal obstruction and the substitution of pancreas enzymes. Most morbidity and mortality arises from the pulmonary infection and subsequent tissue destruction and deterioration of lung function. Antibiotic treatment is the mainstay of therapy. Nebulised antibiotics improve lung function and the incidence of acute exacerbations is reduced in patients chronically infected with Pseudomonas. Macrolides play a special role probably due to an antiinflammatory effect. Inhalation of rhDNAse improves lung function and decreases deterioration of lung function. New therapeutics directed at the CFTR defect are not yet available. Pharmacokinetics in CF patients may differ from those in healthy volunteers, probably due to differences in body composition.

In this article the importance of mineral suppletion for teeth and jawbone is explained in a step-wise manner. The steps discussed are the pre-eruptive phase of teeth and the growth, adult and ageing phase of the skeleton. Mineral suppletion should be seen as a measure to prevent dental caries (fluoride) and to ensure a maximal resistance against the spontaneous bone loss during ageing. Therefore, it seems not suitable for therapy of osteoporosis. If an enhanced bone loss occurs as a result of decreased production of sex hormones or immobility, mineral suppletion will probably have a minor effect. An optimal mineral intake will ensure a maximal peak bone mass built up during the growth phase of bone, a maintenance of this peak bone mass as much as possible during the phase of neutral bone balance and a minimal bone loss during the ageing period with negative bone balance.