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Review
. 2018 Apr 30;6(2):35.
doi: 10.3390/medsci6020035.

Characteristics and Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Era of Global Aging

Catia Cillóniz  1 , Diana Rodríguez-Hurtado  2 , Antoni Torres  3
Affiliations
Review

Characteristics and Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Era of Global Aging

Catia Cillóniz et al. Med Sci (Basel). .

Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) can occur at any time of life, but its incidence and risk of death are linked to increasing age. CAP in the elderly is a major health problem associated with high rates of readmission, morbidity, and mortality. Since the clinical presentation of pneumonia in the elderly may be atypical, clinicians should suspect pneumonia in older patients presenting symptoms such as falls and altered mental status, fatigue, lethargy, delirium, anorexia, in order to avoid the complications associated with delayed diagnosis and therapy. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most frequently reported pathogen in this population. However, particular attention should be paid to patients with risk factors for multidrug resistant pathogens, because a large proportion of elderly persons present multimorbidity. Vaccination is one of the most important preventive approaches for CAP in the elderly. In addition, lifestyle-tailored interventions for different modifiable risk factors will help to reduce the risk of pneumonia in elderly persons. Surveillance of etiological pathogens may improve vaccination policies in this population.

Keywords: aging; community-acquired pneumonia; elderly; pneumonia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution in percentage by age group and by region. From World Population Prospect: The 2017 Review by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations. Reprinted with permission of the United Nations (Copyright 2018).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) by age and percentage of mortality [2].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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