Causes of morbidity among a sample of elderly hospital patients in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The causes of admission to hospital over a 5-year period of 3539 persons aged 60 years and above in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia have been analysed; 54.2% were males and 45.8% females and 68.5% were aged 65 years and above. The causes of morbidity were chronic degenerative disorders of which cardiovascular diseases were the most frequent followed by acute respiratory problems, diabetes, and digestive and neoplastic diseases. The pattern of disease was very similar to that in the industrialized countries. The median stay in hospital was 10.7 days. Respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus were significantly higher in females than males (P < 0.02), while cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischaemic heart disease and heart failure, as well as malignant neoplastic diseases mainly of the digestive system, were more prevalent in males.