Ageing and Frailty

Question 1

Conditions that become more common with ageing? - give some examples

Answer 1

MI
Angina
CHF
Hypertension
Arrhythmias
Dementia etc

Question 2

Inter-individual variability ?

Answer 2

increases with age

Question 3

as we get older, regarding kidneys what happens

Answer 3

clearance of creatin becomes poorer

• loss of muscle bulk

Question 4

blood pressure changes with age?

Answer 4

systolic gets higher

Question 5

when does diastolic BP drop/

Answer 5

after 6th decade

Question 6

what tends to drop in lungs?

Answer 6

vital capacity

Question 7

what is frailty?

Answer 7

A susceptibility state that leads to a person being more likely to lose function in the face of a given environmental challenge

Question 8

what are some Frailty Syndromes? (4)

Answer 8

Falls
Delirium
Immobility
Incontinence

Question 9

negative feedback of a lower blood pressure - briefly describe the steps?

Answer 9

1. pressure sensitive receptor in carotid
2. afferent pathway - nerves to brain
3. hind brain (integrative centre)
4. sympathetic nervous system (efferent pathway)
5. increased heart output

= raises blood pressure

Question 10

what reflex tends to drop over time

Answer 10

baroreflex sensitivity

Question 11

cold stress and the ageing effect?

Answer 11

reduced peripheral vasoconstriction

• reduced metabolic heat production

Question 12

heart stress and the ageing effect? (4)

Answer 12

reduced sweat gland output

reduced skin blood flow

smaller increase in cardiac output

less redistribution of blood Flow from renal and splanchnic circulations

Question 13

older people - hyperthyroidism presentation?

Answer 13

• Depression
• Cognitive impairment
• Muscle weakness
• Atrial fibrillation
• Heart failure
• Angina

Question 14

main classic presentation of hyperthyroidism

Answer 14

• Tremor
• Anxiety
• Weight loss
• Diarrhoea

Question 15

What is frailty?

Answer 15

dyshomeostasis