Clinical Aspects Of Elderly Asthmatics

Objective To study the symptoms, signs, complication and pulmonary function and other clinical aspects of elder patients withasthma. Method Review clinical data of 158 cases of elderly asthmatics. Result Dyspnea, wheeze and moist rale are obvious, there are more smokers and ex-somkers in elderly asthmatics, they have a higher rehospitalization rate and worse lung function with significant decrease of FEV₁, MMEF, V25, V50 and PEF. The asthmatic episode often cause by upper respiratory infection. Most of patients suffer from middle to severe attack. Some of them accompanied with coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension and other complications. Conclusion Elder patients with asthma are liable to have respiratory failure. The treatments are tougher than early onset asthma; pulmonary function tests are helpful in diagnosis, classification and treatment of elderly asthmatics. More attentions should be paid in asthma teaching and management in elder patients with asthma.