Disease Presentation in the Elderly

Question 1

What is Pruritis? What’s it due to in the elderly?

Answer 1

Itch - Decreased barrier function, More susceptible to irritants, Reduced natural skin moisturisation, Polypharmacy

Question 2

ATYPICAL PRESENTATION:
What is it?

Immobility:
What can it be caused by?

What can it lead to?

Instability:
What can it be caused by?

What can it lead to?

Intellectual Impairment:
What can it be caused by?

What can it lead to?

What is Delirium?

Incontinence:
How does it relate to Ageing?

What are the 3 types?

What can it be caused by?

What can it lead to?

Iatrogenic:
What do most of the elderly use?

What does this increase the risk of?

Answer 2

• Older person may have the same presentation for multiple underlying causes

• Illness, Medication side effects, Pain, Delirium, Dementia, Sarcopenia, Mood, Lack of mobility aid
• Pressure sores, Pneumonia, Dependence, Death

• Gait, Sarcopenia, Visual impairment, Medical conditions (e.g. Postural Hypotension), Environment, Medication, Alcohol
• Fractures, Immobility, Fear of falling, Intracranial bleeding, Death

• Age, Dementia, History, Polypharmacy, Acute illness, Constipation, Electrolyte/Fluid imbalance, Pain
• Instability, Immobility, Dependence, Poor oral intake, Death
• Acute, fluctuating coarse of Disturbed consciousness, cognitive function and perception

• NOT a normal part of ageing
• Urge, Stress, Mixed, Functional
• Delirium, Infection, Medication, Psychiatric disorders, HF, Immobility, Stool impaction
• Embarrassment, Skin damage, Infection, Instability, Social isolation

• Polypharmacy
• ADRs