Francesca attends doctor's appointments with her mother, who is in her late 80s. Her mother is taking NSAIDs for arthritis pain and Francesca asks what might indicate that her mother was having a GI bleed as a result. What should the doctor tell Francesca?
Even serious GI bleeds may be silent in the elderly and have no warning signs.
GI bleeds are very uncommon in elderly females like her mother.
Elderly individuals usually show many signs of GI bleed, including vomiting blood..
Elderly individuals typically have dramatic but nonspecific signs, such as sudden onset delirium.
Answer: Even serious GI bleeds may be silent in the elderly and have no warning signs.