Author Question: Asthma is often underdiagnosed in older adults because: a. older adults frequently do not have ... (Read 55 times)

codyclark · **on:** Jul 11, 2018

Asthma is often underdiagnosed in older adults because:

a. older adults frequently do not have any of the classic signs and symptoms.
b. symptoms of asthma are often attributed to normal age-related changes.
c. asthma is very uncommon in older adults.
d. asthma symptoms are usually very mild in older adults.

Question 2

The daughter of an older patient with chronic bronchitis says to the nurse, I don't understand why my father has not been prescribed antibiotics for his bronchitis. The last time I had bronchi-tis I got antibiotics.

The nurse considers the following when formulating a response:
a. Antibiotics tend to be less effective in older adults than in younger adults.
b. Antibiotics are not prescribed in chronic bronchitis since the cause is usually not bacterial.
c. The routine use of antibiotics is controver-sial because the causal role of bacterial in-fection is often not clear.
d. Normal age-related decreases in immune response delay the presentation of classic symptoms.

Cnarkel · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 11, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Asthma is both underdiagnosed and undertreated in older adults. Instead, the symptoms are at-tributed to normal changes with aging, cardiovascular disease, or are simply labeled COPD. Older adults do present with the usual signs and symptoms; however, they are often overlooked. Asthma is not uncommon in older adults. Adults over 65 make up a small percentage of those with asthma, and they have the highest associated death rate than any other group. Asthma symptoms in older adults range from mild to very severe.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
In chronic bronchitis, the routine use of antibiotics is controversial because the causal role of bacterial infection is often difficult to document. Antibiotics are generally indicated in frail el-ders when the possibility of pneumonia or an acute exacerbation of bronchitis is suspected. There is no evidence that antibiotics are less effective in older adults or that chronic bronchitis is usually caused by a nonbacterial cause. While it is correct that a normal age-related decreased immune response may delay the presentation of classic symptoms, this does not explain why antibiotics are often not prescribed.