Excluding diagnoses other than asthma and COPD
A differential diagnosis for respiratory symptoms in older adults is set out in Table 3.
Where there in any uncertainty as to the cause of new symptoms, a chest X-ray should be done to rule out other significant morbidity or complications (eg pneumothorax) or other diagnoses (e.g. congestive heart failure or lung carcinoma).35,37,38
| Table 3. Important causes for respiratory symptoms in the elderly |
| Pulmonary |
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Bronchiectasis
- Pulmonary emboli
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pneumonia, bronchitis
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumothorax
- Malignant disease
- Aspiration pneumonitis
|
| Cardiac |
- Arrhythmias
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Valvular heart disease
- Cardiomyopathies
- Pericardial disease
|
| Neurological |
- Respiratory muscle weakness
- Motor neurone disease
- Myasthenia gravis
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| Drug-related |
- Oral and topical beta2 adrenergic receptor antagonists
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
|
| Other |
- Vocal cord dysfunction
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Anaemia
- Anxiety
- Tracheal stenosis
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| Adapted from Dow L, 199814 |
Content Created (Thursday, 16 November 2006)
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 31 May 2007 )
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