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The aging oesophagus
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Introduction |
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Diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal disorders in elderly patients requires that the physician be acquainted with both psychological and physical alterations induced by aging. Diseases of the oesophagus in elderly patients may be associated with the classic complaints of dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pain, and heartburn. However, atypical presentations are more common in this age group, and there is a greater likelihood of concurrent disease that may confound the interpretation of symptoms. Elderly patients are also more susceptible to complications that may accompany inadequately treated or long-standing oesophageal disease, such as aspiration, malnutrition or Barrett's adenocarcinoma.
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Oesophageal function and aging |
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Oesophageal function in elderly patients has been studied in
several cross-sectional studies. Only one prospective study on the
effect of aging on oesophageal function was reported, in a rather young
group of healthy volunteers.1 Earlier literature suggested
a rather common degeneration of oesophageal function with aging. The
term presbyoesophagus was proposed to describe an age related
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