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Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disease

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Geriatric Gastroenterology

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Abstract

The elderly represent a unique cohort of the US population—and their numbers are on the rise. Among the medical community, being 65 years or older represents an age associated with multiple comorbid conditions and a point in life at which practitioners are typically less likely to advise aggressive diagnostic, medical, and surgical interventions for common medical conditions. It is increasingly recognized that a subset of older individuals live longer and healthier lives without major disease entities or limitations in functional status. Although aging is associated with declines in the cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, endocrine, musculoskeletal, immunologic, and neurologic systems, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract differs in its greater reserves and ability to maintain relatively normal digestive and absorptive function. Nonetheless, certain gastrointestinal disorders are more common and cause greater morbidity and mortality in the aged. Additionally, parallel diminished reserves in other systems may cause profound gastrointestinal effects and the contributing roles of depression, cognitive decline, lack of social support, and polypharmacy may further incite deleterious gastrointestinal consequences. Aging is also associated with the accumulation of genetic mutations and chromosomal instability, reflected in the higher incidence and mortality of GI cancers in the old.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Julia B. Greer MD, MPH

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Haq Nawaz MD

  3. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, M-2, C-Wing, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Dhiraj Yadav MD, MPH

Authors
  1. Julia B. Greer MD, MPH
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  2. Haq Nawaz MD
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  3. Dhiraj Yadav MD, MPH
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dhiraj Yadav MD, MPH .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital, Department of Medicine, Saint Peter’s University, 254 Easton Ave, New Brunswick, 08901, New Jersey, USA

    C. S. Pitchumoni

  2. (North Division), Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 600 East 233rd Street, Bronx, 10466, New York, USA

    T. S. Dharmarajan

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Greer, J.B., Nawaz, H., Yadav, D. (2012). Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disease. In: Pitchumoni, C., Dharmarajan, T. (eds) Geriatric Gastroenterology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1623-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1623-5_6

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