[Nutritional anemias in elderly patients].

Nutritional deficiencies cause one third of the cases of anemia in the elderly. The urgency of anemia management in elderly patients depends on tolerance and repercussions, rather than only on the hemoglobin level. Iron, vitamin B12 and folate are the most common deficiencies, and their levels should be tested. Chronic gastrointestinal bleeding is the principal cause of iron-deficiency anemia. Management is based on supplementation combined with effective etiological treatment.