La anemia en ancianos hospitalizados y su relación con el validismo

Introduction : modern medicine favors the increase of age in humans, mild anemias should not be considered as a manifestation of aging, although the symptomatology is subtle, adapting its activities according to conditions of the general state, being the coloration of skin and sclerotic ones a diagnostic key for the internist in his study and thus improve the quality of life. Objective : to determine the relationship between the degree of anemia and validism in hospitalized patients in the Internal Medicine service. Method: an observational, descriptive and longitudinal study of the institutionalized elderly with low hemoglobin levels in the study period was performed, this being one of the factors involved in the existence and permanence of geriatric syndromes. Results: 63.6% of the treated elderly showed a 30% prevalence, changes in the external appearance and a decrease in the previous capacities were in evidence. The distribution of cases according to the degree of anemia was: 42.3% had mild anemia, moderate anemia 29.2% and severe 28.5%. Conclusions : it was shown that the anemia predominated in the eighth decade of life and male sex with a white skin color, the mild one being more frequent, and how as the amount of hemoglobin decreases the percentage of elderly who become dependent for the accomplishment of daily activities increases, especially those instrumented.  ANEMIA; AGED; QUALITY OF LIFE.