Hydration and Older Patients Admitted to Hospital

Older adults are susceptible to dehydration due to age-related pathophysiological changes. In this study performed at a large UK Teaching Hospital the aim was to investigate the prevalence of hyperosmolar dehydration (HD) in hospitalised older adults, aged ≥65 years, admitted to emergency and to assess the impact on short-term and long-term outcome.
HD is common in hospitalised older adults and is associated with poor outcome. The study found that coordinated efforts are necessary to develop comprehensive hydration assessment tools to implement and monitor a real change in culture and attitude towards hydration in hospitalised older adults.
The results have been published in the most recent issue of Age and Ageing.

El-Sharkawy, Ahmed M. et al. (2015). Hydration and outcome in older patients admitted to hospital (The HOOP prospective cohort study). Age and Ageing, 44(6 ), 943-947.