Firth Michael, Prather Charlene M
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Gastroenterology. 2002 May;122(6):1688-700. doi: 10.1053/gast.2002.33566.
Statistics abound demonstrating the aging of the population, and this comes as no news to physicians caring for an increasing number of elderly patients. This group experiences the expected age-related physiologic declines, including systems critical to integrative functions such as immunologic, neurologic, and metabolic systems. Although an increased prevalence of several common gastrointestinal disorders occurs in the elderly person, aging per se appears to have less direct effect on most gastrointestinal functions, in large part because of the functional reserve of the gastrointestinal tract. Although irritable bowel symptoms decrease with aging, there seems to be an increase in many gastrointestinal disorders of function and motility. The gastroenterologist will frequently encounter elderly patients with complaints of dysphagia, anorexia, dyspepsia, and disorders of colonic function. Understanding age-related changes in gastrointestinal physiology and effects of common comorbid illnesses enhances the ability to evaluate and treat these common, troublesome symptoms.
大量统计数据表明人口老龄化，这对于照料越来越多老年患者的医生来说已不是什么新闻。这一群体经历了预期的与年龄相关的生理衰退，包括对诸如免疫、神经和代谢系统等整合功能至关重要的系统。尽管老年人中几种常见胃肠道疾病的患病率有所增加，但衰老本身似乎对大多数胃肠道功能的直接影响较小，这在很大程度上是由于胃肠道的功能储备。虽然肠易激症状会随着年龄增长而减少，但许多胃肠道功能和动力障碍似乎有所增加。胃肠病学家经常会遇到主诉吞咽困难、厌食、消化不良和结肠功能障碍的老年患者。了解胃肠道生理学中与年龄相关的变化以及常见合并症的影响，有助于提高评估和治疗这些常见且棘手症状的能力。
