Inflammatory bowel diseases in the elderly

Although often regarded as a disease of young adults, Inflammatory Bowel Disease occurs with greater frequency in the elderly than is generally anticipated. Due to the comorbidity in the elderly, the precise diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease is overlooked. There is a tendency for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis to involve the distal colon in older patients. As a consequence, the disease is often milder and less complicated than in younger patients. The first wave of the disease in an older age group is characterized by a higher complication rate. The treatment modalities are the same as in the younger age groups. The disease is often overlooked and misdiagnosed. However, since it is a treatable condition, the clinician has to be more suspicious about it in the cases of prolonged diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms in the elderly.