The ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar is the traditional Chongyang Festival. Because "nine" is the number of yang in the I Ching, nine and nine are heavy, so it is called "heavy yang" and "heavy nine"; And because "Jiujiu" and "long" are homonymous, there is a meaning of longevity and longevity, so Chongyang Festival is also a traditional festival of respecting the elderly.
The health of the elderly is a matter of great concern to children, how to maintain the health of the elderly population? Let's find out together.
Pneumococcus is to be defeated
Common symptoms of pneumonia are cough, sputum production, sometimes accompanied by thick or bloody sputum, accompanied by shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and other symptoms. More than 50% of common pneumonias are caused by pneumococcus, which can occur at any age. The incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia in the elderly aged 60 and above is close to 25%, which is three times that of young people.
Given that pneumococcal disease is a common disease in people over 65 years of age and in people with underlying medical conditions, and an important cause of death in these populations, WHO has long classified it as a disease that requires "very high priority" for prevention with vaccines.
At present, the pneumococcal vaccine approved by the mainland for the elderly is "23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine", and the basic immunization is 1 shot. The "Chinese Expert Recommendations for Influenza and Streptococcal Vaccination for the Elderly" clearly states that it is recommended that the elderly aged 60 and above should be vaccinated.
If the elderly are superimposed with chronic underlying diseases, functional or anatomic asplenia, impaired immune function, nephrotic syndrome, chronic renal failure, systemic malignant tumors, leukemia, bone marrow transplantation, need immunotransplantation drugs, long-term glucocorticoid therapy, and receive chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other high-risk factors, it is recommended to prioritize vaccination.
There is a set of resistance to influenza
Influenza viruses are very common in the population, and there are seasonal outbreaks of influenza every year, especially in autumn and winter. The immune system of older people declines with age, leading to weakened resistance and increased susceptibility to influenza viruses.
At the same time, there are many underlying diseases in the elderly, such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and other chronic diseases, which will increase the risk of influenza virus infection in the elderly and easily cause serious complications.
Older people have different symptoms of catching the flu virus than younger people. Older people may have influenza with a longer course and mild symptoms, or they may not have typical flu symptoms and develop nonspecific symptoms such as malaise, dizziness, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In addition, the elderly are prone to respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, etc., and may even cause severe pneumonia, resulting in hospitalization and death.
Influenza vaccination is one of the most effective measures to prevent influenza, and it is recommended that older people get the flu vaccine once a year. The flu vaccine can help the body make antibodies against the flu virus, improve immunity and reduce the risk of contracting the flu.
Don't bother with shingles
Shingles, known as the "loin-wrapped snake" in the folkloin, can occur all year round, especially in winter and spring. The symptoms of shingles in the elderly are usually more severe and prone to different complications related to a variety of organs, so it is necessary to improve the awareness of the special clinical manifestations of shingles and the prevention of diseases.
In addition to age, decreased immune function, associated chronic systemic diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular events, hyperlipidemia, diabetes), use of immunosuppressive drugs or glucocorticoids, trauma, and depression are also important risk factors for shingles. The recurrence rate of shingles is about 0.5%~6.2%, among which the recurrence rate of immunocompetent patients and the elderly population is higher.
The incidence of shingles increases monotonously with age, especially in people aged 50 years and older. For the elderly, especially those with chronic diseases such as diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, developing healthy living habits, strengthening exercise, paying attention to sleep and nutrition, and early vaccination have a good prevention and treatment effect on the prevention of shingles.
Vaccination is currently the only means of primary prevention of shingles in the elderly. The National Health Commission clearly recommends that the elderly be vaccinated against shingles; The ADA guidelines for diabetes are strongly recommended for people aged 50 years and older with diabetes to receive recombinant shingles vaccine (level of evidence: level 1). Studies have also shown that after vaccination in middle-aged and elderly people aged 50 and above, the risk of shingles can be reduced by 97.2%, and it can be effectively protected for 20 years.
Tetanus should be prevented early
For the elderly, tetanus bacillus is a ubiquitous "giant pit": neglected scratches, punctures in daily life; Bleeding from the tooth provokes periodontal inflammation; Animal injury; Diabetic patients with poor blood sugar control, neuropathy, trauma, peripheral vascular disease and immunosuppression cause diabetic foot ... These wounds are susceptible to secondary infection with a variety of pathogens, including Clostridium tetanus, which can cause tetanus.
Once tetanus occurs, the fatality rate is high, and if left untreated, the mortality rate of severe patients is close to 100%; The mortality rate after treatment is 30%~50%. Tetanus is a noncommunicable disease that is fully vaccine-preventable, so prevention of tetanus in traumatic patients is particularly important. Its main principle is to emphasize active immunization and, if necessary, passive immunization.
The 2019 edition of the "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Non-neonatal Tetanus" and its annex "Guidelines for the Use of Tetanus Vaccine and Passive Immunization Agents after Trauma" have clear "problem-solving ideas": according to the judgment of wound conditions→ understanding of previous immunization history→ confirm whether to break the tetanus vaccine or tetanus injection.
The Chinese Trauma Treatment Alliance, the National Center for Trauma Medicine, and the Trauma Treatment Center of Peking University People's Hospital organized some domestic experts and scholars to formulate the "Expert Consensus on Emergency Open Wound Debridement Suture Surgery" In the general principles of emergency open wound debridement and suturing, systemic factors that increase the risk of infection are old age (≥ 80 years old), smoking, diabetes, malignant tumors, pulmonary insufficiency, chronic renal failure, obesity, malnutrition and use of immunosuppressants (such as glucocorticoids, chemotherapy drugs, etc.), There are hereditary and acquired connective tissue diseases.
Source:
[1] Chinese Expert Recommendations for Influenza and Streptococcal Pneumoniae Vaccination in the Elderly
[2] Influenza Diagnosis and Treatment Plan (2020 Edition)
[3] Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of non-neonatal tetanus (2019 edition). Annex I
[4] Guidelines for the Use of Tetanus Vaccines and Passive Immunization Agents after Trauma (2019 Edition)