Work

Clinical outcomes of coagulation disorders in elderly Africans: a review of risk, diagnosis, and management

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Coagulation disorders in the elderly represent a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with elderly Africans facing unique challenges due to genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors. Aging-associated changes in hemostasis, combined with prevalent comorbidities such as infections, cardiovascular disease, and malignancies, increase the susceptibility of this population to thrombotic and bleeding complications. Understanding these risk factors is critical to improving clinical outcomes. Diagnosis of coagulation disorders in elderly Africans is complicated by limited access to specialized laboratory tests, variability in clinical presentations, and overlapping geriatric syndromes. Conventional coagulation assays are often unavailable or unaffordable in many African healthcare settings, leading to delays or inaccuracies in diagnosis. These diagnostic challenges necessitate reliance on clinical acumen and highlight the need for affordable, accessible diagnostic tools adapted to regional contexts.

Source: Annals of Medicine and Surgery

DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000004658

Author: Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu

Institution: University of the Witwatersrand

Language: English

Topic: Blood Coagulation and Thrombosis Mechanisms

Subfield: Hematology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,850