Desnutrição no paciente idoso: um relato de caso

Abstract

Protein-energy malnutrition is the most important nutritional disorder seen in the elderly. This is a minor multinutritional problem of deficiency of one or more essential nutrients, characterized in clinical disorders caused by varying degrees of disability. It is associated with increased mortality, susceptibility to infection and reduced quality of life. A case of a 78-year-old male malnourished patient is presented, he was admitted with reports of appetite loss, diarrhea, vomiting, dyspnea and a weight loss of 12 kg within 2 months prior to admission. The patient developed worsening of appetite loss; he kept episodes of diarrhea and had to be fed via enteral diet. It has been found, yet, weakness, fatigue, difficulty in walking and weight loss during hospitalization. The case deserves mention because this nutritional disorder is very common in hospital practice, it is often seen, wrongly, as part of the normal aging process and ignored.