A diagnosis of asthma may be missed in an older person because other health problems may mask the disease. The symptoms of illnesses such as these can be similar to those of asthma. This is why the signs and symptoms of asthma may not be identified right away. It is also why asthma may go untreated. Another reason why asthma can be hard to spot among older adults has to do with their lifestyles.
Older persons are more likely to have inactive lifestyles.
Part of the reason for this is because health problems that prevent physical activity are more common with age. One of the ways in which asthma is recognized among younger persons is by the symptoms of wheezing and breathing problems during and after exercise. But if a patient rarely exercises, the opportunity for asthma to produce these symptoms may rarely arise. Treatment of asthma in older adults can be complicated by the fact that so many older persons take multiple medications for other health problems. Asthma medications can react with these other treatments, causing unpleasant side effects.