Abstract

VALERIO, Patrícia  and  FARINHA, Ana. End stage kidney disease in the elderly: Hope for the best. Port J Nephrol Hypert [online]. 2020, vol.34, n.4, pp.225-232. ISSN 0872-0169.  https://doi.org/10.32932/pjnh.2021.01.102.

With an increased number of aged chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, along with medical and technological advances, the options to approach end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) have multiplied. Nephrologists should be aware that taking care of elderly patients is different from taking care of younger ones. The spectrum of choices is as wide as the functional status of these patients. For fit ones, the main goal should be to restore function as much as possible and to rehabilitate. On the other hand, for frail patients, the expectations should be realistic in terms of survival, disease trajectory and symptomatic control, because while kidney replacement therapies can prolong life, they do not cure. The issue is complex due to its multidimensional perspective, so decisions must take into account the patient’s options, respecting his/her autonomy, dignity and quality of life. This text aims to review the particularities of geriatric CKD patients’ assessment towards options to care for ESKD, in a specific population which is growing in our practice.

Keywords : Conservative care; end stage kidney disease; geriatric assessment; kidney replacement therapy.

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