[The coronavirus pandemic posed an enormous challenge for the whole society and within that the elderly, who could be considered the most vulnerable age group in terms of infections. In this publication, we look at how the pandemic has affected fall injuries in old age and their risk factors. In our paper, we aim to show the changes in the number of trauma cases due to falls during the coronavirus. We sought data on the atypical form of coronavirus infection, falls and whether falls can be considered as a consequence of the symptoms of the disease and their treatment. Our results show that fall prevention programs are needed to be continued among the elderly during and after the coronavirus pandemic with taking into account the changed circumstances caused by the pandemic.]

[We conducted an online questionnaire survey with 2543 family physicians to analyse the variation in antihypertensive therapy among very elderly primary care patients (over 80 years of age) with different characteristics in terms of prevalence, SBP and CVD. We also sought answers to our question of how much their treatment decisions are influenced by their elderly frailty. Another aim of our study was to compare Hungarian results with international results. We compared the proportion of cases in which family doctors decided in favour of treatment across countries. In 24 of the 29 countries (83%), family physicians associated the patient's frailty with the decision not to initiate treatment. The lowest treatment rate was in the Netherlands and the highest rate in Ukraine. Hungary was one of the countries where family physicians preferred to treat patients with frailty (treatment rates ranged from 50-59%). Patient’s frailty did not influence the initiation of therapy, cardiovascular disease and SBP above 160 mmHg were more important. The main message from the study was the need for continued education of family physicians and family medicine residents on the management of elderly, frail hypertensive patients.]

[Hypothyroidism is common in the elderly. Frequent causes of hypothyroidism include autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland, previous thyroid surgery and radioiodine therapy. Symptoms may be atypical, and the level of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) must be measured as a part of the biochemical workup. Elevated serum TSH levels have to be confirmed with a repeated tests, which must be completed by measuring the serum thyroxine level too. The recommended and relevant replacement therapy for hypothyroidism is levothyroxine sodium administration. Le­vo­thyroxine sodium is orally only partially absorbed since it is affected by food, minerals, drugs and the composition of the tablet. The initial hormone replacement dose should be low if any heart disease is suspected. The main risk of levothyroxine sodium therapy is its over supplementation, the side effects of which may include anxiety, muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, and atrial fibrillation. Subclinical hypothyroidism with elevated serum TSH level but with a T4 level in its reference range may be considered as a mild form of hypothyroidism. Studies published so far did not prove the positive effect of substitution therapy for non-goitrous subclinical hypothyroidism, especially in elderly patients.]

[ The frailty syndrome – a highly complex pathological condition intertwined with physiological aging, that leads to the old patient’s co-organizational insufficiency in warding off the increasing internal and external stresses – is gaining more and more emphasis in recent professional papers and treatment guidelines for hypertension of aged patients. This geriatric syndrome requires a high degree of caution and restraint in medical decisions and also on several cardiovascular interventions, such as antihypertensive treatment, and its extent, due to the possibility of harmful adverse therapeutical responses. That threat comes to the fore especially in the second stage of old age (aged over 80 years) as a result of the increasing frequency and severity of frailty. The paper defines frailty, its types/severity, and variants, and presents the simplified or more complex – but also time-consuming – diagnostic procedures, as well as the future promises for early detectability of the frailty risk separatable from signals of aging, even in normal conditions. The aim of the paper to draw the attention of caregivers treating high blood pressure or other cardiovascular conditions in old patients to test more carefully the risk of frailty or its already acting condition and consider its potentially harmful influence for adverse therapeutic responses.]

[The older people’s proportion and life expectancy is gradually increasing in our society, additionally the prevalence of hypertension and impaired kidney function can exceed 60 per cent in this age group. This study aims to highlight the importance of interrelation between hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its adequate management, emphasizing professional considerations for the early recognizing and management of CKD, while keep­ing in mind the specific features of the ageing population in terms of prevention and therapy respectively. The overall mortality risk is higher in patients of advanced age, especially that of the elderly patient with CKD. This can increase their cardiovascular (CV) risk to such an extent that only a small proportion of patients with kidney disease reach the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) status. They die earlier by CV complications before having developed definite ESRD and needed renal replacement therapy. In conclusion, patients suffering from hypertension and CKD have a complex pathogenesis of cardiovascular risks and their CV risk is significantly high­er, which requires increased caution and vigilance from the attending physician in the holistic care of elderly patients with kidney disease.]