Asthma and Aging
Many older adults have asthma. Some people develop it late in life. For others, it may be a continuing problem from younger years.
Asthma in older adults presents some special concerns. For example, the normal effects of aging can make asthma harder to diagnose and treat. So can other health problems that many older adults have (like emphysema or heart disease).
Also, older adults are more likely than younger people to have side effects from asthma medicines. (For example, recent studies show that older adults who take high doses of inhaled steroid medicines over a long time may increase their chance of getting glaucoma.)
When some asthma and non-asthma medicines are taken by the same person, the drugs can combine to produce harmful side effects. Doctors and patients must take special care to watch out for and address these concerns through a complete diagnosis and regular checkups.
Read what Steven M. Brown, M.D., pulmonary specialist at Columbia St. Mary's, says about the different types of asthma.
Source: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
