Aging Changes in the Lungs

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Common problems

Elderly people are at increased risk for lung infections. The body has many ways to protect against lung infections. With aging, these defenses may weaken.

The cough reflex may not trigger as readily, and the cough may be less forceful. The hairlike projections that line the airway (cilia) are less able to move mucus up and out of the airway. In addition, the nose and breathing passages secrete less of a substance called IgA (an antibody that protects against viruses). Thus, the elderly are more susceptible to pneumonia and other types of lung infections.

Common lung problems in the elderly include chronically low oxygen levels (reducing tolerance to illness), decreased exercise tolerance, abnormal breathing patterns including sleep apnea (episodes of no breathing during sleep), increased risk of lung infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, and diseases caused by tobacco damage such as emphysema or lung cancer.