An Approach for Clinicians
American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on the Care of Older Adults with Multimorbidity*
J Am Geriatr Soc 2012. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.04188.x
"One of the greatest challenges in geriatrics is providing optimal care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions, or “multimorbidity.” More than 50% of older adults have three or more chronic diseases. The heterogeneous patterns and severity of conditions produce distinctive cumulative effects for each individual. Multimorbidity is associated with many adverse consequences including death, disability, institutionalization greater use of healthcare resources, poorer quality of life, and higher rates of adverse effects of treatment or interventions. Comprehensive strategies for healthcare delivery that are not disease specific, as well as interventions that target geriatric syndromes common in older adults with multimorbidity, show promise for this population, although the best approaches to decision-making and clinical management of older adults with multimorbidity remain unclear..."