Preventive Approach to Respiratory Infections in the Elderly

Abstract

Aspiration pneumonia is the fourth most frequeur cause of the death of Japanese. The disease accounts for 92% of the death of elderly people aged 65 and over. Pneumonia in the elderly is mostly due to silent aspiration. Aspiration is caused by disturbance of the pharyngeal reflex and cough reflex, which are profoundly reduced by the disturbances of brain activity. Mechanisms of both pharyngeal and cough reflexes are mediated by substance P. Strategy for increasing substance P should be further investigated. Mouth and teeth cleaning as well as sitting up straight for about four hours after meals significantly decreased febrile days related to respiratory infections. We also found that bactericidal clothes reduce infections in the elderly patients.