Liver

The liver plays an important role in processing the body's waste products of metabolism, as well as affecting the uptake of medications, and serum cholesterol. The major functional changes with age include reduced blood flow, altered clearance of some drugs, and a diminished capacity to regenerate damaged liver cells. Among older adults, the half life of certain drugs such as benzodiazepines, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, and aminopyrine may be doubled due to decreased metabolism by the liver.