Astma in the elderly

My 76 year old mum has just been diagnosed with asthma after a run of chest infections. I thought she hsa sounded wheezy for a while. However her GP has only given her a preventor inhaler. I use both preventor and reliever inhalers and am suprised at this as she seems worse than me. Any commments?

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Asthma treatment is alot of trial and error and a stepping process, you gp willl probably monitor the effects of the reliver inhaler aswell as tghe frequency used before going to the next step of a preventer.

Andrea

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Hi Susan,

It can be difficult for doctors to decide what medication to use in elderly people, particularly if they have other health issues, and/or have just recovered from a chest infection, the symptoms of which may take longer to clear than in younger folks. Also wheezing is a symptom associated with chest infections, and asthma.

Only using a reliever inhaler is part of the step I in the stepwise approach to asthma treatment where the patient has just been diagnosed but whose symptoms are intermittent. Other factors include making sure the patient uses an inhaler correctly and avoiding any known triggers.

I agree that I would feel concerned as well, particularly if your Mum’s symptoms are, as you state, worse than yours. If there is no improvement in a week then going with your mum to the doctors and explaining your concerns will make you both feel happier.

Older people are notoriously well known for not wanting to bother their doctors or families. The word stubborn springs to mind! I experienced this in a personal way with my father, who insisted he felt well when it actually turned out he had a blood count of four – he suffered from pernicious anaemia. Even the doctor was amazed that my father could still stand and walk into surgery with me, protesting that he felt perfectly well!

Hope your mum – and you- start to feel better soon.

Mia