Older Adults, High-Risk Populations, and Severe Illness

Author(s):

Carrie Koenigsfeld, PharmD, FAPhA

Key Takeaways

Older adults, especially those with chronic heart or lung diseases, are at high risk for severe RSV illness.
Severe RSV can result in hospitalization, long-term respiratory complications, and increased mortality in older adults.
Age-related immune decline and comorbidities make older adults more susceptible to severe RSV outcomes compared to younger adults.

Carrie Koenigsfeld, PharmD, FAPhA, discusses the CDC’s recommendation for an RSV vaccine for all adults aged 75 years and older, as well as those aged 60 to 74 years at increased risk, and outlines the conditions that elevate the risk for severe illness, including the implications of severe illness, such as hospitalization, long-term effects, complications, comorbidities, and mortality, while also comparing how RSV infection affects older vs younger adults.

EP: 1.What Is RSV?

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EP: 2.Older Adults, High-Risk Populations, and Severe Illness

EP: 3.Safety and Efficacy of RSV Vaccines in Older Adults

EP: 4.Vaccine Hesitancy and Patient Counseling Techniques

EP: 5.Strategies for Incorporating Vaccinations into Pharmacy Workflows

EP: 6.Vaccination Community Outreach Initiatives

Video content above is prompted by the following:

The CDC recommends an RSV vaccine for all adults aged 75 years and older and for adults aged 60 to 74 years who are at increased risk for severe RSV. What conditions put an individual at high risk for developing severe illness?
1. Describe the implications of severe illness (ie, hospitalization, long-term effects, complications, comorbidities, mortality).
How does RSV infection affect older vs younger adults?