Introduction: Constipation is a common symptom in the elderly and affects their quality of life. Even though constipation is not a physiological consequence of ageing, its high prevalence among the elderly might be caused by reduced mobility, medicine and comorbidities. Modern definitions identify constipation as a polysymptomatic disorder, including different aspects of dysfunctional defecation. The pathogenesis encompasses various factors, including the type of diet, the genetic predisposition to colonic motility, absorption, socioeconomic status and biological and pharmacological factors. Diagnostic and therapeutic options play a key role in treating constipation. Current guidelines recommend a gradual approach to treating chronic constipation. There are still ongoing debates about the proper schedule of such diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms. Purpose: By means of scholarly and scientific literature, we wish to present the causes and symptoms of constipation in the elderly, and how to prevent constipation by improving their lifestyle, focusing on diet and physical exercise. We will research the impact of preventive factors on preventing constipation in old age. Methods: In order to write the diploma thesis, we reviewed domestic and foreign scholarly and scientific literature published since 2015. We searched for literature in the following databases: COBISS, Medline, Science Direct, CINAHL and the Pubmed search engine for the period from June 2021 to April 2022. In the databases we searched for literature in the Slovenian and English language using the following keywords: chronic constipation, nursing, geriatrics, care, chronic diseases, defecation. Results: Over the last few decades, life expectancy has increased considerably around the world, thus posing the challenge of how to effectively improve or prevent chronic conditions in the elderly, such as constipation. Through preventive measures for preventing constipation and by raising the awareness of the elderly population about a balanced lifestyle, we could reduce the prevalence of constipation among the elderly. Discussion and conclusion: The prevalence of constipation in the general population is 16 %, which is why diagnostic and therapeutic options are important for treating chronic constipation. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic constipation and information about the effectiveness and safety of a pharmacological agent could help healthcare professionals and patients in treating and managing constipation symptoms.
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