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- Title
Main Disorders of Gastrointestinal Tract in Older People: An Overview.
- Authors
Gallo, Antonella; Pellegrino, Simona; Pero, Erika; Agnitelli, Maria Chiara; Parlangeli, Caterina; Landi, Francesco; Montalto, Massimo
- Abstract
From a physiological standpoint, aging is a progressive reduction in each organ system's capacity to maintain homeostasis in the face of illness or stressors. With advancing age, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and signs may increase, not only due to the aging processes but also to the superimposed effects of comorbidities, which can badly affect digestive functions (i.e., diabetes, malignancy, etc.) and environmental exposure. In general, gastrointestinal symptoms in older people more often underlie organic pathologies, while GI functional disorders are less frequently diagnosed in this age group. Moreover, gastrointestinal disease can also present in a nuanced and atypical manner, making the diagnostic hypothesis and, consequently, the correct diagnosis and therapy more challenging. In addition, with reference to this age group, the clinical implications of gastrointestinal pathologies can be more severe due to a decreased physiologic reserve, with a higher risk for malnutrition resulting in falls, depression, social isolation, and a deterioration of functional status. In this review, we focused on the most frequent GI tract disorders, highlighting the main age-related changes, their epidemiological, pathophysiological and clinical implications, and any differences with younger patients.
- Subjects
HELICOBACTER pylori; MALNUTRITION; STOMACH tumors; FECAL incontinence; PEPTIC ulcer; MESENTERIC ischemia; DIGESTIVE organ abnormalities; FUNCTIONAL status; INDIGESTION; INFLAMMATORY bowel diseases; AGING; ENVIRONMENTAL exposure; GASTROINTESTINAL diseases; COMORBIDITY; ACCIDENTAL falls; MENTAL depression; SOCIAL isolation; DEGLUTITION disorders; GASTROESOPHAGEAL reflux
- Publication
Gastrointestinal Disorders, 2024, Vol 6, Issue 1, p313
- ISSN
2624-5647
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/gidisord6010022