5 things that you must know about UTI’s in older adults

Urinary Tract Infection

If you have an ageing parent or a grandparent, chances are they have had a UTI or urinary tract infection at some point in time in life. But the risk of UTI is greater when a person is frail thus increasing their odds for delirium, hospitalization and death. A urinary tract infection or the UTI is a bacterial or a fungal infection that is a part of the urinary system, which includes the bladders, kidney, ureter and urethra. UTI is one of the most common infection in seniors and they experience more severe symptoms than younger ones. Our senior urologist at Orthomed will explain 5 things that youmust know to help older adults in your life.

1. Confusion alone does not signal a urinary tract infection: When an older adult becomes confused, many people both medical or non-medical immediately assume that UTI is responsible. Ageing also increases the incidence of confusion and delirium especially those who are genetically impaired or depressed, malnourished o completely dependent.

2) Bacteria in the urine is not necessarily a problem: Elevated urinary bacteria which are also called asymptomatic bacteria does not cause any major symptoms and can be corrected by increasing the fluid intake. The condition generally occurs to 10 to 20 % of women over the age of 65 and 20% of women over the age of 80 and 20-50% women who are living in nursing facilities. Urology experts must not treat urinary bacteria with antibiotics unless and until there are multiple signs and symptoms of UTI. This can encourage antibiotic resistance and make future UTI’s harder to treat. The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the urine can also increase the risk of serious complications, infections or death.

3) Older adults can show other symptoms too: When your loved one’s doctor suspects a UTI, make sure you mention whether these are symptoms that are also present. • Sudden pain with urination • Fever over 100°F • Worsened urinary frequency urgency • Tenderness in the lower abdomen or above the pubic bone. If you have at least two of the symptoms above along with positive urine culture, you can confirm that you have a UTI. Older adults may also have other conditions that increase their risk for a UTI or that produce similar symptoms. Bladder obstruction is usually caused by UTI in older men and complete focus on UTI can mask serious underlying problems.

4. Older adults do not need powerful antibiotics for UTI’s: Treatment for UTI must begin with narrow spectrum antibiotics. The drugs are more likely to lead to antibiotic resistance and problematic side effects than broad-minded antibiotics. One of the most common first-line treatments for UTI is older adults is Amoxicillin which is commonly prescribed. Here are some tried and tested prevention strategies that he recommends

1)Encourage sufficient fluid intake.

2)Promote better genital and urinary hygiene.

3) Ask the doctor about low dose vaginal cream for postmenopausal women which rejuvenates vaginal skin and supports the presence of good bacteria. Following the above tips will surely help your ageing relative to stay healthy, productive and out of  Hospitals in Chennai

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This Content Originally Published By Orthomed Hospital In Chennai. Source Link: https://www.orthomedhospital.com/blog/5-things-that-you-must-know-about-utis-in-older-adults/