DIGESTIVE PATHOLOGY

Within digestive pathology, certain entities have a particular importance in the geriatric patient, either by being more prevalent, by presenting an atypical clinic or by having a different treatment from the adult.

The nursing staff must know the key nutrients that must be present in the diet of a person, to ensure proper nutrition which will lead to the prevention of some digestive diseases.

It stands out as most important pathologies: constipation, fecal incontinence, ostomy and dysphagia.

Constipation: stool output excessively dry and scanty or infrequent. Represents one of the major geriatric syndromes. From mechanical etiology, functional, pharmacological, metabolic and neurological.

This constipation can complicate causing:

- Fecaloma: fecal impaction

- Anal Fissure

- Circulatory disorders

- Fecal incontinence

- Urinary retention

Stoma - ostomy: surgical creation which get outside the digestive tract. The goal with ostomy patients will be regulate their traffic preventing diarrhea and restore a good nutritional status.

These elders have a greater chance of complications and absorption of nutrients, you must administer the drugs so it has less chance of causing complications.

Fecal incontinence: not part of normal aging, affects the quality of life of elderly. Several types are distinguished by the type of incontinence major / minor as are; minor: soiling, gas incontinence, urgency and incontinence of liquid stool; and major: pelvic floor injury, drugs, prolapse, cancer ...

Nursing will undertake a number care for incontinent patients such as hygienic-dietary measures, discomfort treatment and fecal impaction.

Dysphagia: difficulty of swallowing liquid elements. It is very common in the elderly population oropharyngeal involvement. Nursing will undertake a number of general measures regarding these patients doing: respecting the taste, small quantities, do not mix, avoid contact with the spoon, quiet atmosphere, thick textures, delayed in swallowing reflex start ...

       Vanessa Palomares Garcia

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• More frequent digestive conditions in the elderly. .MsC. Odalys María Álvarez Guerra,1 MsC. Beatriz Ulloa Arias,2 MsC. Jesús Fernández Duharte,2 MsC. Teresa Castellanos Carmenatte3 y MsC. José E. González de la Paz4.

• Gastrointestinal disorders in the geriatric patient. Gastroesophageal reflux disorders. Bowel disorders. Diagnostic evaluation and therapeutical attitude. C. Verdejo Bravo,M Montiel Carbajo. MC Sevilla Mantilla. A Ruiz de León San Juan.Medicine 2003 08:58