Is the diagnosis of asthma different in elderly?

• Published in: Tüberküloz ve toraks Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 81 - 85
• Main Authors: Yorgancıoğlu, Arzu, Şakar Coşkun, Ayşın
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkey 01-01-2012
• Subjects: Age of Onset; Aged; Aging - pathology; Aging - physiology; Asthma - diagnosis; Asthma - mortality; Asthma - therapy; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Middle Aged; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - mortality; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy; Respiratory Function Tests
• ISSN: 0494-1373
• DOI: 10.5578/tt.2652

Asthma is mis-diagnosed, under-diagnosed and under-treated in older populations but has a high mortality rate. The physiological changes due to aging of lung, the co-morbid situations and poly pharmacy may change the typical presentation of asthma in older people and cause diagnostic difficulties. But it therefore should be diagnosed properly by taking of all differential situations especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease into consideration since the appropriate management of the disease will alter the morbidity and mortality.