Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for elderly asthma patients: the importance of multidisciplinary and multidimensional management

INTRODUCTION Asthma is commonly considered a disease of younger ages; however, it is not infrequent to pose a diagnosis of the disease in older individuals. Although current recommendations do not distinguish between young and old asthmatics in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, asthma in the elderly may present with peculiar features that contribute to complicate its management. AREAS COVERED The current review focuses on the challenges that arise when approaching an older individual with suspected asthma. Age-associated changes of the lung may complicate the diagnostic approach. Measurement of the forced expiratory volume in the first 6 seconds (FEV6) in an easier and faster alternative to FVC estimation, and residual volume should always be assessed. Older individuals are often affected by concomitant diseases, both age and drug-related, that need to be considered when approaching elderly asthmatics, since they can affect the efficacy of the treatment as well as the control of the disease. EXPERT OPINION The potential drug to drug interaction should be routinely investigated, and documented in medical records. The effect of aging on the response to pharmacological therapy in older asthmatics should be explored. Therefore, the need of a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach to the elderly asthmatics is strongly encouraged.