Treatment of multiple ailments a challenge for the elderly

Inhaler

Carol Forsloff---It was less than a month ago I learned I had scarring of the lungs with fibrous material with a diagnosis that after learning its potential seriousness, I made plans on how to deal with the steps of recognizing, accepting and dealing with it.  Then the telephone rang with news of a different tentative diagnosis that I had not anticipated, that may change with the symptoms and with a treatment that may cause problems for other health conditions,  the kind frequently faced by seniors.

Lung disorders include an array of conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis, COPD, and various infections.  Many times it is difficult to make a complete diagnosis and effect a cure because of the complications in determining the cause of the lung problem.  In my case doctors believe I have atypical infections that have caused physical changes in the lungs and therefore pain and more difficulty breathing.

Those who have complex health conditions often live with a reality that is in flux, especially if that health condition is superimposed on other conditions equally complex.  In my case the lung disease is part of a potpourri of problems including diabetes, glaucoma and osteoporosis.  And the treatment for one condition may be inappropriate for another, as cortisone over time can create additional problems for someone who is diabetic or who has osteoporosis, and that is the medication of choice to help maintain breathing.

With multiple health problems come multiple medications.  Some medications interact negatively with others or exacerbate existing conditions.  For example, one of my inhalers with the cortisone can exacerbate my glaucoma.  It can also cause the bones to become brittle.  Most medicines are established for a single ailment, and clinical trials of those with multiple ailments don't often include the elderly, even though they are the ones most likely to have several conditions.

The National Institute for Health is now searching for ways to treat patients with multiple health conditions who are elderly and announced a series of projects initiated last September to study the problem through clinical trials.

My journey is my own, a different journey but with similar care and precautions becomes the conclusion of medical experts for me while at the same time doctors will be exploring the individual circumstances in order to develop the appropriate plan.  It is that kind of strategy needed for the elderly with a complex set of conditions.