Merkus J W
Tijdschr Gerontol Geriatr. 1984 Jun;15(3):105-13.
There is no reason to assume that in old age defecation is different from younger people. Old people who are sound and active often have normal defecation. Their intestinal transit time has been shown to be normal. Nevertheless about fifty percent of the elderly use laxatives. In the very old and in institutions the use is even more frequent. The main cause of this real or supposed constipation is the lack of dietary fibre in the food. In the aged constipation can have dangerous complications, e.g. acute mental confusion, urinary retention, urinary incontinence and fecal impaction. Treatment may include general measurements, the addition of bulk-laxatives to the diet and the prescription of other laxatives. The use of laxatives other than bulk-laxatives may cause many harmful side-effects in the aged. The daily food must contain sufficient dietary fibre. Failing this one can use bran, preparations of psyllium or lactulose syrup.
没有理由认为老年人的排便情况与年轻人不同。健康活跃的老年人通常排便正常。研究表明，他们的肠道传输时间正常。然而，约50%的老年人使用泻药。在高龄老人和养老院中，泻药的使用更为频繁。这种实际存在或被认为的便秘的主要原因是食物中膳食纤维的缺乏。老年人便秘可能会引发危险的并发症，如急性精神错乱、尿潴留、尿失禁和粪便嵌塞。治疗方法可能包括一般措施、在饮食中添加容积性泻药以及开具其他泻药的处方。使用容积性泻药以外的其他泻药可能会在老年人中引发许多有害的副作用。日常饮食必须含有足够的膳食纤维。如果做不到这一点，可以使用麸皮、洋车前子制剂或乳果糖糖浆。
