Gerontology: adopting the Japanese experience
The Russian-Japanese seminar "Topical issues of geriatrics and gerontology: the experience of Russia and Japan" was held in Moscow
On November 6, 2018, a Russian-Japanese seminar "Topical issues of geriatrics and Gerontology: the experience of Russia and Japan" was held in Moscow on the basis of the Federal Distance Education and Telemedicine Center at the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center of the Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation with the interactive participation of regional geriatric centers for doctors of all specialties involved in the treatment of patients of older age groups.
The seminar was organized by the leading centers in the field of geriatrics and gerontology of the two countries – the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center of the Russian Ministry of Health named after N.I. Pirogov (RGNCC) and the National Center of Geriatrics and Gerontology of Japan. The seminar became one of the important events within the framework of the Year of Japan in Russia and Russia in Japan.
The Chief geriatrician of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Director of the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center Professor O.N. Tkacheva noted the high importance of sharing experience with Japanese colleagues: "Japan is among the world leaders in life expectancy, while Russia's goal is to join the 80+ Club by 2030. To ensure an increase in life expectancy and active longevity of Russian citizens, the national project "Demography" is being implemented in the country, one of the most important components of which is the Federal project "Older Generation".
Cardiovascular diseases are among the so-called age-associated diseases (their prevalence increases with age) and the number 1 cause of death worldwide. It is no coincidence that modern approaches to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases in elderly and senile patients have become the subject of an exchange of experience between Japanese and Russian colleagues.
The chief cardiologist of the National Center of Geriatrics and Gerontology of Japan, Dr. Akihiro Hirashiki, spoke about the approaches to the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system in the elderly used in Japan.
Analyzing the European and Russian experience of treating patients with older heart failure, Professor Yulia Kotovskaya emphasized the role of a multidisciplinary approach to improve the quality of life and prognosis of such patients. "Often, performing their work at the highest professional level, cardiologists do not take into account the geriatric problems of an elderly patient with heart failure. As a result, cardiologists' efforts to compensate for heart failure may be nullified if the patient cannot follow the recommended therapeutic regimen, ideally selected from the point of view of evidence-based medicine, due to cognitive impairment, inability to reach the pharmacy for medicines..."
Another acute problem of an aging society is the growing number of people with dementia, the most common cause of which is Alzheimer's disease. In Japan, great attention is paid to the problem of dementia prevention, early detection and timely treatment of cognitive disorders. The director of the Center for Training and Innovation of the National Center of Geriatrics and Gerontology of Japan, Professor Hidetoshi Endo, shared with the audience the approaches that are used in his country. Professor Endo stressed that the Japanese government pays great attention to the dementia control program at various levels. For example, in Japan there are special TV programs for the elderly, in which physical exercises with elements of cognitive training, specially designed for the elderly, are demonstrated in a friendly, positive playful way.
According to Dr. Endo, "brain stagnation" is the cause of Alzheimer's disease and dementia: "Elderly Japanese read for at least an hour a day, walk down the street for at least an hour and meet friends every day. But elderly Japanese spend no more than half an hour a day watching TV."
On the Russian side, the draft of the national interdepartmental program for the early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders was presented by Dr. Helen Mkhitaryan, who heads the direction of neurogeriatrics and cognitive disorders at the Russian Gerontological Research and Clinical Center.
"Elderly Russians spend 20 times more time on TV than on physical activity," Helen Mkhitaryan cites alarming data.
The participants of the symposium were very interested in the research of centenarians, which was reported by Hidetoshi Endo from the Japanese side and Professor Yulia Kotovskaya, Deputy Director for Scientific Work of the Russian Gerontological Scientific and Clinical Center. People who step over the 100-year milestone are special, and make up the "golden fund" of each country. The study of 100-year-olds provides the most important information about healthy aging and an understanding of what factors should be paid attention to when planning personalized preventive programs.
The chief geriatrician of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Olga Tkacheva, noted that by 2030 the average age of Russians will reach 80.1 years. At the same time, not only the total life expectancy is growing, but also the duration of active life – by about 8 years every 10 years. The level of cognitive functions of the brain of today's 58-year-olds corresponds to the level of 50-year-olds 10 years ago. "I am convinced that in the coming decades there will be new approaches to prolonging active life, we can catch this moment. And our task is to make these ways of prolonging life widely available," Olga Tkacheva summed up.
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