Clinical anatomical features of diseases of the upper respiratory tract in gerontological practice

Diseases of the upper respiratory tract (URT) in elderly patients have unique features related to anatomical and functional changes of the mucosa. These changes contribute to the development of chronic inflammatory processes, which requires a special approach to the treatment and prevention of these pathologies. Objective. Analysis of scientific data on the URT diseases considering the anatomical and functional characteristics of elderly and senile patients. Material and methods. An analysis of articles on the selected topic presented in PubMed, GoogleScholar and eLibrary databases was carried out. Results. It has been established that elderly patients have anatomical and physiological changes of the URT characterized by atrophic processes of the mucosa. These changes negatively affect the URT physiological functions. Age-related changes in the mucosa of the nose and throat are a significant factor contributing to the development and chronicity of inflammatory diseases in elderly patients. Conclusions. Diseases of the URT in elderly patients are an urgent problem in otorhinolaryngology requiring comprehensive investigation. The study of anatomical and functional changes in the ENT organs is necessary to understand the features of disease course and develop personalized treatment methods as well as preventive recommendations.