[Update nausea and vomiting amongst the elderly]. / Update Übelkeit und Erbrechen in der Geriatrie.

Nausea (like vomiting) is a symptom and not an independent disease pattern. This makes it difficult to give an accurate number of the incidences in the elderly population. Approximately every 2nd to 3rd elderly person is affected.There are many possible causes of nausea (cerebrally caused, cerebrally controlled or caused by gastrointestinal disease). The physiological aging of the gastrointestinal tract on its own does not cause nausea.The diagnosis is based on a detailed medical history and an in-depth physical examination. Further diagnostic steps have to be customized to each patient. An official guidelines for diagnostics is not established.Initially the therapy aims to treat the cause (underlying disease or polypharmacy). Symptom-oriented medication should only be considered as secondary meassure. However, numerous possible drugs are inadequate for elderly people.

[Refeeding syndrome in geriatric patients : A frequently overlooked complication]. / Refeeding-Syndrom bei geriatrischen Patienten : Eine oft übersehene Komplikation.

The refeeding syndrome is a life-threatening complication that can occur after initiation of a nutrition therapy in malnourished patients. If the risk factors and pathophysiology are known, the refeeding syndrome can effectively be prevented and treated, if recognized early. A slow increase of food intake and the close monitoring of serum electrolyte levels play an important role. Because the refeeding syndrome is not well known and the symptoms may vary extremely, this complication is poorly recognized, especially against the background of geriatric multimorbidity. This overview is intended to increase the awareness of the refeeding syndrome in the risk group of geriatric patients.