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Management of asthma in the elderly patient

A significant number of older asthmatics, more often than in previous ages, have poorly controlled asthma, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. On the other hand, current guidelines suggest that most asthmatics can obtain achievement and maintenance of disease control and do not include sec...

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Autor principal: Melani, Andrea S
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Dove Medical Press 2013
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3716444/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23885171
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S33609
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author Melani, Andrea S
author_facet Melani, Andrea S
author_sort Melani, Andrea S
collection PubMed
description A significant number of older asthmatics, more often than in previous ages, have poorly controlled asthma, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. On the other hand, current guidelines suggest that most asthmatics can obtain achievement and maintenance of disease control and do not include sections specific to the management of asthma in the elderly so that it is more evident the contrast between poor control of asthma in the elderly and the lack of specific guidance from guidelines on asthma management in older asthmatics. Inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone for older asthmatics, eventually with add-on inhaled long-acting beta-agonists; inhaled short acting beta-agonists can be used as rescue medications. Triggers exacerbating asthma are similar for all ages, but inhaled viruses and drug interactions have greater clinical significance in the elderly. Older asthmatics have an increased likelihood of comorbidities and polypharmacy, with possible worsening of asthma control and reduced treatment adherence. Physicians and older asthmatics probably either do not perceive or accept a poor asthma control. We conclude that specific instruments addressed to evaluate asthma control in the elderly with concomitant comorbidities and measurements for improving self-management and adherence could assure better disease control in older asthmatics.
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spelling pubmed-37164442013-07-24 Management of asthma in the elderly patient Melani, Andrea S Clin Interv Aging Review A significant number of older asthmatics, more often than in previous ages, have poorly controlled asthma, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. On the other hand, current guidelines suggest that most asthmatics can obtain achievement and maintenance of disease control and do not include sections specific to the management of asthma in the elderly so that it is more evident the contrast between poor control of asthma in the elderly and the lack of specific guidance from guidelines on asthma management in older asthmatics. Inhaled corticosteroids are the cornerstone for older asthmatics, eventually with add-on inhaled long-acting beta-agonists; inhaled short acting beta-agonists can be used as rescue medications. Triggers exacerbating asthma are similar for all ages, but inhaled viruses and drug interactions have greater clinical significance in the elderly. Older asthmatics have an increased likelihood of comorbidities and polypharmacy, with possible worsening of asthma control and reduced treatment adherence. Physicians and older asthmatics probably either do not perceive or accept a poor asthma control. We conclude that specific instruments addressed to evaluate asthma control in the elderly with concomitant comorbidities and measurements for improving self-management and adherence could assure better disease control in older asthmatics. Dove Medical Press 2013 2013-07-15 /pmc/articles/PMC3716444/ /pubmed/23885171 http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S33609 Text en © 2013 Melani, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited.
spellingShingle Review
Melani, Andrea S
Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title_full Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title_fullStr Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title_full_unstemmed Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title_short Management of asthma in the elderly patient
title_sort management of asthma in the elderly patient
topic Review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3716444/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23885171
http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S33609
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