Severe Weight Loss In Elderly

Elderly patients with unintentional weight loss are at higher risk for infection depression and death.

Severe weight loss in elderly. When looking weight loss we need to look at the change in weight over time to determine if the weight loss is significant or severe loss. The leading causes of involuntary weight loss are depression especially in residents of. The fact of the matter is that weight loss changes happen naturally and may not be a cause for alarm for caregivers of seniors.

Caregivers do well to take social withdrawal isolation and mood changes seriously and have elderly loved ones seen by a doctor especially if weight loss becomes a concern. The centers for medicare and medicaid services cms defines significant unintended weight loss as a weight loss of 16. Add these to any treatment such as chemotherapy that causes nausea or vomiting and there will be a significant decrease in food intake.

When chronic health conditions set in the risk of weight loss increases. Unintentional weight loss i e more than a 5 reduction in body weight within six to 12 months occurs in 15 to 20 of older adults and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality 1 in. Sudden unintentional weight loss in the elderly can signify a number of underlying medical concerns.

As more people including elderly are overweight or obese weight loss is recommended to improve health. Aging is generally accompanied by weight loss made up of both fat mass and fat free mass. In addition to illness related depression and lack of appetite medications that list weight loss as a side effect play a role.

It follows that unexplained weight loss in an older person almost always is a marker of an underlying illness. 5 body weight in 30 days or.