That makes 8 pounds I've lost over the past four months," my patient--an obviously concerned 80-year-old--reported, asking, "When is this going to stop?" She added that she felt well and that her appetite and activity pattern had not changed at all, even though she was losing weight without intending to.

Hers was not an unusual complaint. About one in five people who are over 65 experience substantial weight loss. The reason for her concern was that many doctors accept that an unanticipated weight loss that exceeds 5 percent is not acceptable. She experienced a loss of about 6 to 7 percent over an extremely short period of time. Worrisome because unintentional weight loss UWL is linked to a higher risk of sickness and even death. My initial goal was to find out the cause for the weight loss. This isn't easy.

Is losing weight a Sign of Cancer?
Anyone suffering from UWL must keep in mind the possibility of getting cancer. Cancer was detected in up to 35% of the people who had significant unintended weight loss, https://ipsnews.net/business/2022/03/25/prima-weight-loss-capsules-review-best-weight-loss-supplement/.

Good news is that it is highly unlikely that any cancer will be detected in the initial examination. It should comprise the complete medical history, physical examination, and a selection of tests. The importance of that evaluation is not to be undervalued. in cases where cancer is the reason of weight loss, at the very least one physical or lab test abnormality is bound to be discovered.

Common Reasons for losing weight
After cancer, the most common causes of UWL include gastrointestinal illness and mental health problems. 10% to 20% of UWL cases are caused by non-cancerous conditions of the gastrointestinal tract. This is even if the bowel and appetite are normally. Sometimes signs and symptoms of illnesses like celiac disease and ulcerative colitis are obscure at the beginning that they be difficult to detect, with weight loss the only apparent indication.

For older people and those who reside in nursing homes, depression may influence eating behavior without being obvious to the victims. Up to 58 percent in nursing home residents suffer from mental health problems, which includes depression.

Sometimes, it could be caused by loneliness, dementia or poor fitting of dentures hearing loss, side effects of medication, or other factors. Sometimes it's just a matter of timing. One elderly patient fat loss suffered from UWL because she skipped meals. The reason she did this was because she couldn't walk too far from her assisted living home to the dining area. But she was reluctant to admit that she was guilty of it. When one or more of the above problems are addressed or improved, UWL will usually stop.

People with diabetes and hyperthyroidism can also experience UWL. There are a few additional symptoms. In older adults with an overactive thyroid, it often disguises itself as apathetic hyperthyroidism since common signs, such as excessive bowel movements, and nervousness that are common, do not exist. Weight loss occurs despite a good appetite. Type 2 diabetes may manifest only as weight loss due to the disappearance of sugar (and calories) in urine. A rise in blood sugar may not cause symptoms.

The Diagnosis and Treatment
Imagine my joy and excitement when she noted an irregular heartbeat in the course of a routine physical exam. An electrocardiogram showed atrial fibrillation, which is an abnormal heart rhythm that is often related to thyroid overactivity.