Dyspepsia in the Elderly

Abstract

Dyspepsia is a chronic disease characterized by one or more of the following symptoms: postprandial fullness, early satiation (meaning inability to finish a normal size meal or postprandial fullness), and epigastric pain or burning [1]. One quarter of affected patients consult their general practitioner [2]. The factors that determine whether a patient consults a physician may include symptom severity, older age, lower social class, fear of serious disease, psychological comorbidity, and insurance status [3–6]. Epidemiologic data on dyspepsia in the elderly vary among studies. Williams et al. reported that the proportion of patients with dyspepsia was 38% in those aged under 25 years compared to 20% in those over 60 years [7]. On the contrary, Heikkinen et al. found that the proportion of patients with dyspepsia rose slightly with age: 31, 33, and 37% for age groups 15–44, 45–64, and >64 years, respectively [8].