Asthma can occur in the older person

dc.contributor.authorAdams, R.
dc.contributor.authorRuffin, R.
dc.date.issued2005
dc.description© Medicine Today
dc.description.abstract• Asthma does occur in older people and can present as a new diagnosis. Up to 35% of people aged over 55 years with asthma are undiagnosed. • It is important to remember that older people with asthma may attribute reduced exercise capacity to ageing. Consideration should be given to screening this age group for asthma. • Drug treatments for comorbidities are common in older patients and are relevant potential trigger factors for asthma. • Issues regarding inhalers influence the choice of medication in older patients. Potential problems include poor co-ordination or arthritis, and oropharyngeal side effects. • Reduced perception of bronchoconstriction is more common in older patients. Confirmation of lung function with objective testing is often helpful in such cases. • A written action plan is an essential part of management and may need to be given to a patient's carer. • Important gains in quality of life can be achieved by treating asthma in older people appropriately.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityRobert J. Adams and Richard E. Ruffin
dc.identifier.citationMedicine Today: the peer reviewed journal of clinical practice, 2005; 6(1):40-44
dc.identifier.issn1443-430X
dc.identifier.orcidAdams, R. [0000-0002-7572-0796]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/33298
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMedicine Today Pty Ltd
dc.subjectAsthma
dc.subjectolder people
dc.titleAsthma can occur in the older person
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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