Dangers and Risks of UTIs in Older Adults
Lindsay Knake
| 3 min read
Lindsay Knake is a brand journalist for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
More than 10% of women age 65 and older and nearly 30% of women age 85 and older get a urinary tract infection (UTI) each year.
As we age, the symptoms of UTIs can become less clear and the infections can be harder to diagnose. Let’s look at symptoms and risks of UTIs in older adults and how to prevent them.
Symptoms and causes of UTIs
Symptoms of UTIs in older adults include:
- Sudden, increased frequency or urgency to urinate
- Pain or burning during urination
- Pain or tenderness in your pelvis, lower back or abdomen
- Cloudy or blood urine
- Foul smelling urine
- Fever or chills
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Rapidly increasing confusion within hours or days, especially in patients with dementia
More than 75% of UTIs are caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli, or E. coli, that enters the urethra, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
In menopausal women, declining estrogen levels increases the risk of UTIs, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Estrogen manages beneficial bacteria in the urethra, but having lower estrogen can allow bad bacteria to flourish. Lower estrogen can also cause atrophic vaginitis, a thinning of the lining of the vagina which causes a burning sensation during urination, which may be confused with a UTI.
Bladder and pelvic floor muscles can weaken with age and make it difficult for people to completely empty their bladders, and stagnant urine can allow harmful bacteria to grow.
Untreated UTIs can cause serious health risks, especially in older adults who have a weaker immune system. The infection can spread to the kidneys or cause sepsis, which is a life-threatening response to an infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. As many as 30% of sepsis cases start with a UTI, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
If you have symptoms of a UTI, talk to your doctor. Antibiotics are a common treatment for UTIs. Vomiting and high fever are signs of a serious infection, and you should seek treatment immediately.
Confusion and delirium
Some older adults may have delirium, a rapidly developing confusion that frequently occurs with a UTI and is reversible with treatment. Although the cause is unknown, it can occur more commonly in patients with dementia. The differences between the two are striking because delirium develops quickly and is curable while dementia develops slowly, is progressive and generally not curable.
Delirium is a symptom of a UTI in 30% of older adults and may be much higher in adults who are in intensive care or have just received surgery.
How to prevent UTIs
One of the best ways to manage UTIs is prevention.
- Urinate often and completely empty your bladder.
- Stay hydrated as urine can remove bacteria from your body. Urine should be a pale yellow.
- Practice good hygiene, including washing your hands often and wiping front to back.
- Urinate after sex.
- Talk to your primary care physician if you have frequent UTIs about treatment options such as a vaginal estrogen cream
- Although it has not been proven, there is evidence that drinking cranberry juice may be helpful in preventing UTIs
Image: Getty images
Related:
