Age - Related Gastric Changes

Abstract

Aging is a universal process with progressive loss of function accompanied by decreasing fertility and increasing mortality and disability. There are several mechanisms to underlie the primary aging process and probably contribute to agerelated changes in adaptive responses. These mechanisms are oxidative stress, mitochondrial theory, telomeres and cellular senescence, apoptosis and genetic mechanism. There are many physiological changes with aging process including blood pressure, temperature, fever, and composition of body fluids. Age-related changes in bioavailability may be secondary to changes in absorption or gut wall and hepatic metabolism. The stomach lining's capacity to resist damage decreases with age due to alteration of the gastric defense mechanisms and decreased mucosal blood flow. Normal aging is associated with agerelated changes in motor function of the various parts of the gastrointestinal tract such as transit time and gastric emptying. The incidence of many gastrointestinal dysfunctions increases with advancing age that is associated with alterations in the structural and functional integrity of the gastrointestinal tract. The structural changes include mucosa, muscular coat and blood flow. The clinical significance of functional and structural gastric changes may all impact upon gastrointestinal adverse effects and how older people tolerate medicines. Understanding how the upper gastrointestinal tract changes with advancing age could allow interventions that lead to more appropriate prescribing for older people, potentially reduce adverse effects, increase compliance with treatment regimens, and may allow older people to take medications that they would not otherwise tolerate.

Age-dependent Role of Cilostazol on Cold Restraint Stress-induced Gastric Ulceration in Female Rats

“…Both experimental and clinical studies had reported impairment in gastric mucosal defenses by aging as indicated by decrease in bicarbonate, mucus and PGs secretion, reduced NOS activity and reduced blood flow [22,33]. Moreover, Saber and Bayumi (2016) [34] indicated that elderly people have a decreased mucosal PGE2 concentration compared to adults. Our results also indicated that CIL increased gastric mucosal NO and PGE2 concentrations and gastric juice content of mucin in rats compared to adult and aged CRS groups.…”

Can Daily Dietary Choices Have a Cardioprotective Effect? Food Compounds in the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiometabolic Diseases

“…Optimal or increased fiber intake is impossible for the group particularly at risk for cardiovascular diseases—elderly individuals, whose gastrointestinal issues necessitate a low-fiber diet. However, this type of diet exacerbates glycemic parameters and promotes the rapid absorption of lipids in the intestinal lumen [ 45 , 46 ].…”