AN UPDATE ON GERIATRIC PNEUMONIA- CONTEMPORARY REVIEW ON PNEUMONIA IN OLD AGED

BACKGROUNDPneumonia represents the third most frequent hospital diagnosis among elderly patients.They usually have associated comorbid conditions and immunosuppressive states, hence predisposed to pneumonia.Furthermore, it has been suggested that elderly patients treated for pneumonia are at high risk of subsequent mortality for several years after the episode.Thus, due to its high incidence and significant mortality, it has become a major public health problem.Investigating strategies to reduce mortalit y in these patients should be a major issue for future research.To date, however, there is little information on pneumonia in patients over the age of 65 years.The goals of the current article are to review the existing literature about the epidemiology, causative organisms, clinical characteristics, management and prevention of pneumonia in the geriatric population and to identify causes of death and risk factors associated with mortality.In this population, an aetiological diagnosis is rarely available when antimicrobial therapy must be instituted.Use of the current guidelines for treatment of pneumonia with special emphasis on vaccination for its prevention is recommended in this population.