Healthwise: Pneumonia in the Elderly

Tuesday 30 August 2016

Pneumonia in the Elderly

For healthy adults with no underlying illnesses, pneumonia does not generally cause alarm, as it can be treated appropriately.

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Pneumonia in seniors is often asymptomatic, a result of their weakened immune response. One of the most dangerous strains for the elderly is streptococcus or pneumococcal bacteria strain, which accounts for 40,000 pneumonia deaths per year
Pneumonia in the elderly should not be taken lightly. Pneumonia caused by this bacteria strain can come on suddenly, and may lead to lung damage, bacteremia, and meningitis

By Dr Mercola

For healthy adults with no underlying illnesses, pneumonia does not generally cause alarm, as it can be treated appropriately.

However, the same cannot be said for the elderly. In fact, this condition is the fourth leading cause of mortality among seniors – 90 percent of all pneumonia deaths occur in the older population.1 But what makes elderly people more susceptible to this illness?

Why Do Seniors Become Susceptible to Pneumonia?

According to Dr. Joseph Mylotte, an internist and professor of medicine at the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo, there are several reasons why seniors become more prone to pneumonia than younger populations.

One is that they often suffer from debilitating and life-threatening conditions, such as heart disease, which make them more vulnerable to the infection.

Elderly people also typically have poor immune system response, so their bodies do not tolerate infections as well as before. "Some virulent organisms can cause infection in younger people, but the infections can be worse in older people," Mylotte said.2

Pneumonia in seniors is often asymptomatic, a result of their weakened immune response. For example, young people may develop and cough up sputum (mucus and saliva) when they have pneumonia – an unpleasant but healthy response, as it means the body is working naturally to clear up the lungs.

But the elderly tend to lose lung capacity as they age, making it difficult for them to cough productively. This causes the sputum to build up instead of being expelled.3What’s more, elderly people are used to feeling sick more often, making them less likely to feel the symptoms.

The Dangers of Pneumonia in Seniors

Mylotte says that even if the infection is localized to the lung, pneumonia’s effects are widespread, and may cause life-threatening complications like kidney failure, like bacteremia (infection spreading to the bloodstream), and low blood pressure.

The pus in the alveoli may also spread to implanted medical devices, such as a replaced valve or pacemaker.

There are numerous organisms that can cause pneumonia in the elderly, but the most common ones are those from bacteria or viruses. One of the most dangerous strains for the elderly is streptococcus or pneumococcal bacteria strain, which accounts for 40,000 pneumonia deaths per year.

Pneumonia caused by this bacteria strain can come on suddenly, and may lead to lung damage, bacteremia, and meningitis.

Certain factors can increase an elderly person’s risk for pneumonia. One is suffering from certain ailments, like diabetes, HIV, Parkinson’s disease, or lung conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).4 Other risk factors include:5

•Alcoholism

•Immunosuppression

•Being over 70 years old

•Staying in nursing homes

Pneumonia in the elderly should not be taken lightly because, again, it is deadly. In fact, the medical community considers it as severe as a heart attack. Treating pneumonia in elderly people is also tricky, as conventional medications (which are already riddled with side effects) for this illness can be difficult to administer, as the kidney and the liver’s ability to metabolize medications changes with old age.

Elderly are more sensitive to dosages and prone to effects, such as stomach upset. Some seniors are also taking a cocktail of medications for other illnesses, which can affect their prescription.

http://articles.mercola.com/pneumonia/pneumonia-in-elderly.aspx?

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