Malnutrition in the elderly: its recognition and treatment.

Malnutrition plays a critical role in morbidity and mortality of the elderly. It is unacceptable to deny any patient, regardless of age, adequate nutrition when there are so many alternate methods of nutritional rehabilitation. Healthcare professionals must be concerned with the important role of nutritional therapy in the overall management of the elderly. It is extremely important to maintain the patient's nutritional status throughout periods of stress, disease, injury, and during periods of recovery. In developing a nutritional support plan, the clinician must consider the degree of malnutrition; the degree of hypermetabolism and specific organ dysfunction; the goals of nutritional therapy; and the route of nutrient delivery. The clinician must recognize the earliest signs of malnutrition and should be acquainted with the modalities of nutritional intervention to repair the deficit and prevent further deterioration. Another important consideration is that malnutrition is frequently a systemic manifestation of disease. Therapeutic nutritional support is cost-effective, reduces morbidity, and saves lives.