Table 2 Assessment and management issues of asthma in older patients
| Â | Assessment |
|---|---|
Comorbidities | Â |
COPD | Smoking history, spirometry, 6-min walking test, oxygen saturation,... |
Congestive heart failure | Chest X-ray, echocardiogram, B-type natriuretic peptide |
Gastro-oesophageal reflux | Proton pump inhibitor trial, oesophageal pHmetry |
Sleep apnoea | Sleep monitoring |
Anaemia | Haemoglobin |
Mood and mental disorders | Psychological evaluation, specific test scores for depression, anxiety, dementia |
Risk factors | Â |
Smoking | Self report, exhaled carbon monoxide |
Excessive or deficient body weight | Body mass index |
Activity limitation | Self reported |
Management | Â |
Inhaler device technique | Direct assessment |
Exacerbation management | Self report |
Polymedication | Medication review |
Common conditions affected by asthma drugs | Â |
Cataracts | Ophthalmic examination |
Osteoporosis | Densitometry |
Hyperglycemia | Glycaemia monitoring |