Alzheimer's Flashcards
What is Gerontology?
Holistic approach that takes into account the spiritual, mental, physical and psychosocial aspect of an older adults care.
What is geriatric care?
Focuses of the diseases specific to older adults and taking care of those disease processes.
What are some things that increase as we age?
BP - due to elasticity loss
Increase in residual lung volume due to air getting trapped at the base of the lungs.
Increase in urine volume due to bladder not emptying properly.
Sleep apnea due to weight gain.
What is dementia?
a chronic and gradually progressive cognitive impairment and will eventually result in death. For adults 85y/o and us then Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. The second most common is vascular dementia and is related to HTN and stroke
What is delirium?
Temporary confusion state brought by an acute illness with specific underlying cause(s) Can be caused by medication, dehydration etc. We treat with focus on re-orientation and preventive measures
Define Alzheimer’s disease
Progressive, irreversible, degenerative neurologic disease characterized by slow and gradual losses of cognitive function and disturbances in behavior and affect. It affect the A,B.C = affect, behavior and cognitive function – it changes our personality and our core of humanity.
There are two types of Alzheimer’s – Early onset which is diagnosed before the age of 65 y/o. Most people who get diagnosed with early onset have a family history of the disease. It only accounts for 2% of all the cases and is associated with a genetic mutation.
Late onset happens after the age of 65 and it can happen with or without hereditary factors.
What medication is used to manage Alzheimer’s?
Cholinesterase inhibitors (e.g. Donepezil, Rivastigmine) – enzyme that degrades Acetylcholine. Enables more Acetylcholine in the synapsis.
NMDA receptor antagonist (e.g. Memantine): Amyloid plagues enables glutamate levels which binds with the receptors and allows calcium in which hyper excites the neurine and damages it. This drug will block the amount of glutamate and reduce calcium influx.
