Patología de la deglución y enfermedades respiratorias

Abstract

Swallowing disorders are frequent medical conditions and closely related to pulmonary diseases, affecting roughly 7 to 10% of patients over 50 years of age according to international reports. It also affects between 30 to 40% of elderly residents in senior citizens homes. As far as we know, in our media there is no valid statistical information regarding this problem. A thorough evaluation of a patient with altered deglutition, including dysphagia, requires an understanding of the anatomy and the physiology of deglutition, the pathologies that can affect it, the diagnostic techniques available and the therapeutic options. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to face this problem including the participation of neurologists, otorinologists, neumologists and gastroenterologists. Deglutition is a very complex process of muscular interaction that includes coordinating various stages in only fractions of a second. The pathophysiology of the different phases of deglutition, the diseases that affect them and their therapeutic implications are reviewed