Epidemiology of anemia in the elderly: information on diagnostic evaluation.

A rise in the aging population has been predicted, and, as a result, it is expected that the incidence of age-related health conditions will also increase. Although common in the elderly, anemia is often mild and asymptomatic and rarely requires hospitalization. However, untreated anemia can be detrimental, because it is associated with increased mortality, poor health, fatigue, and functional dependence and can lead to cardiovascular and neurological complications. Several factors have been suggested to cause anemia in this population, for example, blood loss or chronic disease. In some cases, the cause is unknown. It has been suggested that this is a result of the presence of comorbid conditions that can mask the symptoms of anemia. Therefore, appropriate diagnosis and management strategies of anemia in the elderly need to be identified, particularly because anemia may indicate the presence of other serious diseases.