Falls Flashcards
Define a fall
A fall is defined as an event which causes a person to, unintentionally, rest on the ground or lower level, and is not a result of a major intrinsic event (such as a stroke) or overwhelming hazard.
(GOV UK website)
Discuss what should be included in a falls history
Hx Presenting Complaint
- When did they fall?
- Where did they fall?
- Did anyone see them fall?
- Before:
- What were they doing?
- How did they feel before the fall?
- Any dizziness/light-headedness
- Any cardiac symptoms e.g. chest pain, palpitations
- Any weakness
- During:
- How did they fall?
- How did they land?
- Did they hurt themselves
- Did they lose consciousness? If so, for how long?
- Any tongue biting, incontinence?
- After:
- What happened after fall?
- How long were they on the floor?
- Could they get up on their own or did someone help you?
- Was there any confusion? If so for how long?
- Any weakness, speech difficulty, visual changes after the event?
- Could you resume normal activities?
PMH
- Any previous falls or near misses
- Any other current, previous or potential (i.e. currently being investigated for) medical problems
- Medications
- Allergies
FH
- Any medical conditions in family i.e. Cardiac history, strokes, epilepsy, neurological conditions
Social
- Who live with? How are they?
- Where live? Stairs?
- How do they usually mobilise?
- How do they manage?
- Any equipment/modifications at home
- ADLs
- Alcohol
- Smoking
- Recreational drugs
What medications are you particularly interested in when taking a falls history?
- Sedatives e.g. benzodiazepines
- Opiates
- Cardiac medications e.g. antihypertensives, beta blockers
- Anticholinergics
- Diabetic medications with hypoglycaemia risk
Briefly outline the different types of fall
- Syncopal vs non-syncopal
- Simple vs multifactorial
What do we mean by a simple fall?
What do we mean by a multifactorial fall?
- Simple fall: due to a chronic impairment of cognition, vision, balance, or mobility. (NICE CKS)
- Multifactorial: due to multiple factors
Should the term ‘mechanical fall’ be used?
No; all falls by definition have a mechanical element to them hence it doesn’t tell us anything about the cause of the fall
Define syncope
Transient loss of consciousness characterised by fast onset and spontaneous recovery. Caused by reduced perfusion pressure to brain. Usually self-limiting; being horizontal will increase/restore perfusion to brain
What is meant by pre-syncope?
Symptoms preceding a syncope e.g.:
- Light headedness
- Sweating
- Pallor
- Blurred vision
Outline the 3 broad categories of syncope and any sub-categories within each
-
Reflex/neurally mediated syncope
- Vasovagal
- Situational
- Carotid sinus massage
-
Orthostatic hypotension
- Drug induced
- ANS failure
-
Cardiac/cardiopulmonary disease
- Arrhythmias
- Structural
Describe the mechanism behind reflex/neurally mediated syncopes
A ‘stress’ of some form causes a sudden, transient change in autonomic efferent activity; inhibition of sympathetic system and increased output from parasympathetic system. Results in bradycardia and peripheral vasodilation leading to reduced cerebral perfusion pressure (below compensatory limits of cerebral autoregulation).
Subcategories of reflex/neurogenic syncope:
- Vasovagal: normally triggered by reduction in venous return due to prolonged standing, excessive heat or a large meal. Decreased venous return to ventricles causing them to vigorously contract in attempt to maintain cardiac output. Ventricular mechanoreceptors are then triggered causing vasodilation and bradycardia.
- Carotid sinus massage: increase pressure in carotid sinus hence baroreceptors interpret this as high BP so attempt to lower BP
- Situational: identifiable trigger leads to vasovagal reaction e.g. micturition, defaecation, coughing
State some potential causes of situational syncope
- Micturition
- Defaecation
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Swallowing
- Weight lifting
Cardiopulmonary syncope’s can be due to two main reasons; state these and explain how they can lead to syncope
- Arrhythmias: leading to inadequate cardiac output e.g. AF, bradycardia
- Structural heart disease: inadequate cardiac output- often during exertion, e.g. aortic stenosis, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Discuss the pathophysiology of postural hypotension
When we stand, blood shifts from the chest to below the diaphragm. This fluid shift reduces venous return, which reduces the filling of the ventricles in the heart. This decrease in preload thereby reduces cardiac output. This causes a reduction in blood pressure.
The gravity-induced reduction in blood pressure is detected by baroreceptors in the aortic arch and carotid sinus. These baroreceptors trigger baroreflexes, including vasoconstriction and compensatory tachycardia in an attempt to restore blood pressure. There is an increase in sympathetic outflow and a decrease in vagal nerve activity; thereby reducing parasympathetic stimulation to the heart. The baroreceptors also send signals to the arterioles and venules in the circulatory system to increase total peripheral resistance. These measures overall work to increase and thus normalise blood pressure.
Postural hypotension occurs when these mechanisms to regulate blood pressure are impaired. The body is unable to maintain the same blood pressure on sitting up or standing.
Postural hypotension can occur due to one or more of the following:
- Failure of baroreflexes (autonomic failure)
- Volume depletion
- End-organ dysfunction
Causes of postural hypotension can be neurogenic or non-neurogenic; discuss the meaning of each
- Neurogenic: insufficient release of NA from sympathetic vasomotor neurones → limits vasoconstriction → body unable to normalise BP upon standing. Most often seen in disorders that cause autonomic dysfunction
- Non-neurogenic: hypotension arises from either hypovolaemia, cardiac failure or venous pooling
State some:
- Neurogenic
- Non-neurogenic
… causes of postural hypotension
Neurogenic
- T2DM
- Parkinson’s disease
- Small cell lung cancer
- Monoclonal gammopathies
Non-neurogenic
- Cardiac impairment e.g. aortic stenosis, MI
- Reduced intravascular volume e.g. dehydration, adrenal insufficiency
- Medicatons:
- Diuretics
- Alpha blockers
- Antihypertensives
- Insulin
- Levodopa
- TCAs
*Insulin, levodopa & TCAs can cause vasodilation and postural hypotension in predisposed patients
Syncope summary
