Care of the elderly with gastrointestinal problems in family practice

Gastrointestinal problems in older people cause a great amount of anxiety, morbidity and mortality. In general these diseases present for the first time to family practitioners. The management of gastrointestinal problems is more difficult because in an older age group, functional diseases can present in the same way as organic diseases. In addition, family practitioners see a different kind of patient than speciality physicians and may not have immediate access to diagnostic investigations. In this chapter, the role of the family practitioner in screening for gastrointestinal problems in asymptomatic older people is explored. In addition, how they differentiate between organic and non-organic disease and refer appropriately to secondary care is discussed. The role of family practitioners in the on-going maintenance of gastrointestinal diseases and in the management of Helicobacter pylori in community dwelling older people is also considered.