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Testing in the Elderly

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Geriatric Practice

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Abstract

Laboratory data often plays a significant role in the care of older adults. However, the interpretation of laboratory data in older adults is complicated by a number of factors including lack of representation of older adults in populations sampled to determine the reference ranges for laboratory tests, misconceptions regarding the meaning of laboratory reference ranges, normal physiologic changes with aging which influence results of some tests, difficulty distinguishing normal changes with aging from pathologic changes, and the frequent presence of chronic conditions and use of medications which may alter test results. Lack of awareness of the above issues can lead to misinterpretation of laboratory tests and result in overtreatment as well as missed diagnoses.

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  1. Division of Geriatrics, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College Of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    Michael Bogaisky

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Correspondence to Michael Bogaisky .

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  1. Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Audrey Chun

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Bogaisky, M. (2020). Testing in the Elderly. In: Chun, A. (eds) Geriatric Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19625-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-19625-7_6

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