Mechanisms and prevention of pneumonia in the elderly.
Pneumonia is not only a major cause of death for elderly persons, but also imposes substantial personal morbidity and burdens on the health care system. An understanding of the pathogenesis of this serious illness could allow us to devise methods for curbing the incidence and severity of the disease. Pathophysiological issues and preventative measures are the subject of this review.
Sekizawa
K
K
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D014611:Vaccination