and Health Unit, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health and Ageing, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Adam Szafranek Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nottingham City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
Catherine Takeda Gérontopôle, Department of Geriatrics, CHU Toulouse, Toulouse, France
Emin Taskiran Ege University Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
David R. Thomas Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Florian P. Thomas Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA; Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Jantira Thomas Division of Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina, USA
Eva Topinkova Department of Geriatrics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
Roberto Petidier Torregrossa Geriatrics Department, University Hospital of Getafe, Madrid, Spain
Gary Trey Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Anita Maria Tummolo Fondazione Policlinico Universitario ‘Agostino Gemelli’ IRCCS, Rome, Italy
Nina Tumosa Health Resources and Services Administration, Rockville, MD, USA
Ipsit V. Vahia Division of Geriatrics, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Joe Verghese Divisions of Cognitive & Motor Aging (Neurology) and Geriatrics (Medicine), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
Lucas Verset Vascular Medicine Department, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
Claudia I. Vidal Dermatology Center of Southern Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
Charles Vincent Centre for Patient Safety and Service Quality, Imperial College London, London, UK
Ulrich von Oppell Cardiff and Vale University Health Board; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
Laura M. Wagner Department of Community Health Systems, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Stefan Walter*
* deceased
Rey Juan Carlos University, Department of Medicine and Public Health, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
Jeremy Whyman Division of Aging, Section of Palliative Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Richard Wilson Geriatric and Stroke Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
Sarah A. Wingfield Division of Geriatrics, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas, USA
Serena P. Wong Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
Kahli E. Zietlow University of Michigan Department of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI
Max Zubatsky Medical Family Therapy Program, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA
Preface to the Fifth Edition
The Fifth Edition of this widely known international textbook incorporates the latest evidence of research into the often complex management of common clinical problems in older people. We as Editors embarked on this edition with the knowledge that John Pathy would be there to guide us with all his wisdom and incredible grasp of the discipline of Geriatric Medicine. His untimely departure from this world left a major gap for us, but we have worked very closely as an editorial team, supported by Wiley‐Blackwell, and hope that this edition fulfils all the expectations and objectives that were set when we originally sat down with John Pathy to discuss the textbook. We pay tribute to John Pathy as a tremendous role model for aspiring geriatricians all over the world and hope that his textbook will continue to educate all those who seek enlightenment in caring for older people.
We have used, wherever possible, an evidence‐based approach to developing each chapter and asked all authors to think hard on what are the key messages. Chapters that have been revised and updated were edited closely to ensure that the clinical pathway is still highly relevant and that the references also reflected an in‐depth revision process. A new layout of chapters will be apparent and is based on grouping chapters with similar clinical relevance and where similar pathophysiological mechanisms may be operating. In a majority of chapters, we have leading international authors who are experts in the field.
Wide clinical experience is the hallmark of a sound geriatrician or other healthcare specialist who claims expertise in managing older people who are hospitalized or who have clinically deteriorated in the community. This may take many years of training, although at an early stage of their careers, recognition of the varying nature of illness in old age and how both simple and focused interventions can lead to health gain are prerequisites for enhancing clinical care. This textbook should complement these activities irrespective of the status of the practitioner but, as always, reading a book and acquiring knowledge must be accompanied by a practical clinical care approach aligned with compassion and understanding of the critical issues affecting older people.
Professor Alan Sinclair would like to thank Caroline Sinclair, and Professor John Morley would like to thank Susan Brooks, for their tremendous assistance in helping them to complete their editorial tasks, and the Editors would like to express their appreciation of the incredible patience and support from Gill Whitley and Robyn Lyons at Wiley‐Blackwell.
Alan J. Sinclair
John E. Morley
Bruno Vellas
Preface to the Sixth Edition
The Sixth Edition of this acclaimed international textbook of geriatric medicine continues the fine traditions of previous editions by including the latest insights into the often complex illness scenarios of old age, each of which is supported by laying the principles of care and building practical management guidance from this foundation. As before, we have attempted to provide an up‐to‐date, evidenced‐based approach to developing chapters and including only relevant tables and figures along with four or more key points in each. Many chapters are new versions, and others are updated. All authors either have an international
