Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain is a common problem in the geriatric population. Assessment is challenging in this age group because of the difficulty in obtaining a satisfactory history due to the presence of comorbid processes including impaired cognition, delirium, physical or other disabilities. It is generally more likely that the older patient with abdominal pain may have a serious underlying disorder. Older patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with abdominal pain have a greater likelihood of requiring hospitalization and perhaps surgery. The importance of rapid assessment, use of appropriate tests, and early surgical consultation where indicated may be instrumental in improving outcomes. A focused physical examination is important. A combination of approaches in pain management based on current guidelines will help address pain. The geriatric patient has unique and differing pharmacokinetics and dynamics with regard to use of medications, including analgesics, and is thereby prone to adverse drug effects. Older adults are additionally subject to polypharmacy and consequent drug–drug or drug–disease interactions. The traditional indicators of disease in the younger individual may be lacking in the older adult, making it pivotal to consider a wide differential diagnosis during evaluation. A multidisciplinary approach may be helpful in tackling abdominal pain in the geriatric patient.