4 research outputs found
Contemporary Treatment of Pneumonias in the Elderly
Upala pluÄa je na Äetvrtome mjestu uzroka
smrti u starijoj životnoj dobi, odnosno u starijih od 65
godina. MeÄu riziÄne Äimbenike u toj životnoj dobi ubrajaju
se popratne kroniÄne bolesti, oslabljen mukocilijarni klirens,
slabljenje opÄe i specifi Äne obrane, uÄestala kolonizacija
nazofarinksa, slabija psihofi ziÄka kondicija te loÅ”e socijalne
i higijenske prilike. KliniÄka slika upale pluÄa u toj dobi
nije uvijek karakteristiÄna. Hipoksemija uzrokovana upalom
pluÄa vrlo brzo mijenja psihofi ziÄku sliku bolesnika, ÄineÄi
ga smetenim ili dezorijentiranim.
MeÄu novostima u lijeÄenju upale pluÄa osoba starije životne
dobi na prvom je mjestu ocjena težine bolesti, odnosno
riziÄnih Äimbenika za nepovoljan ishod. Uz ocjenu težine
bolesti po ameriÄkom sustavu PORT (Pneumonia Outcome
Research Team), u Europi se upotrebljava i britanska ocjena
težine upale pluÄa po sistemu CURB (Confusion, Urea,
Respiratory rate, Blood pressure), koja za osobe starije od
65 godina ima varijantu CURB-65. Ona je jednostavnija, a u
nas se može nazvati SFS-65 i SUFS--65 (Smetenost, Urea,
Frekvencija disanja, SistoliÄki tlak, Starost). Jednostavnost
primjene navedenih postupaka znatno pomaže pri donoŔenju
odluke o lijeÄenju bolesnika kod kuÄe ili u bolnici, odnosno
primjeni lijekova, poglavito antibiotika. U radu je prikazan
praktiÄan algoritam za ambulantno lijeÄenje i lijeÄenje u
bolnici.
Pravilan izbor antibiotika vrlo je važan, a ako popratne
bolesti dopuÅ”taju peroralnu primjenu, bolesnika treba lijeÄiti
kod kuÄe. U starijoj životnoj dobi antibiotici prvog izbora
su najÄeÅ”Äe amoksicilin s klavulanskom kiselinom ili
respiratorni kinolon, jer su vrlo rijetki laki oblici upale
pluÄa bez popratnih kroniÄnih bolesti. Mogu se upotrijebiti
i cefalosporinski antibiotici iz druge ili treÄe generacije. U
posebnim epidemioloŔkim okolnostima i u bolesnika s težom
kliniÄkom slikom preporuÄljivo je dodavati i makrolidni
antibiotik. Isto tako, ako se lijeÄenje teÅ”ke pneumokokne
upale pluÄa provodi penicilinom, korisno je dodati makrolidni
antibiotik. Ako poÄetno lijeÄenje nije dalo zadovoljavajuÄe
rezultate odnosno ako su uzroÄnici pneumonije rijetki i
neoÄekivani, treba se osloniti na dostupne mikrobioloÅ”ke
nalaze.Pneumonia ranks fourth among causes
of death in the elderly, i.e. in patients over 65 years of
age. Risk factors in this age group include accompanying
chronic diseases, compromised mucociliary clearance,
reduced general and specifi c defence mechanisms, frequent
nasopharyngeal colonization, weakened physical and mental
state, as well as poor social and hygienic conditions.
Clinical picture of pneumonia is not always typical. Hypoxia
caused by pneumonia rapidly alters a patientās mental and
physical status.
A new approach introduced in the treatment of pneumonia in
the elderly includes the assessment of disease severity, i.e.
the assessment of risk factors. In addition to the U.S. score
system PORT (Pneumonia Outcome Research Team), the
British score system CURB (Confusion, Urea, Respiratory
rate, Blood Pressure), as well as the CURB-65 version for
people over 65 years of age, is also available. A simple
use of these score systems signifi cantly helps in making
a decision on hospital or outpatient treatment and choice
of medicines, especially antibiotics. This article provides
guidelines for outpatient and hospital treatment.
The proper choice of antibiotics is very important. If
accompanying conditions allow oral use, patients should
be treated at home. Amoxicillin with clavulanic acid or
respiratory quinolones most often represent the antibiotics
of choice in the treatment of elderly patients since less
severe forms of pneumonia without accompanying chronic
diseases have been reported very rarely. Second or third
generation cephalosporin antibiotics can be also used.
The addition of a macrolide antibiotic is recommended in
special epidemiological circumstances and for patients with
a more severe clinical picture, as well as in the treatment
of pneumococcal pneumonia with penicillin. If the initial
therapy does not yield satisfactory results or if causative
agents are rare and unexpected, one should rely on the
available microbiological tests