[GDA33-34]Geriatric Syndromes and Polypharmacy Flashcards
What part of medicare coverage: HMOs, PPOs PFFS or Medicare advantage types?
Part C
What type of Medicare Coverage: physician services, outpatient, durable medical, preventive?
Part B
Under the Beers Criteria, what was the number of diseases/conditions that when a patient has one, specific drugs should be avoided?
20 diseases
How do fat soluble drugs pharmacokinetics change in the aging population?
There is an increase in the volume of distribution
What is Beers Criteria?
Original report in 1997 used expert panels (Delphi method) to develop criteria for prescribing recommendations for geriatric patients. Updated in 2003.
What blood/immune changes can you contribute to aging?(2-3 points)
decrease in bone marrow reserve, decrease in T-cell function, increase in autoantibodies
Can you contribute decrease hepatic function to aging? Can you contribute cirrhosis to aging? Can you contribute a decrease in T-cell function to aging?
yes; no; yes
Older persons represent what percentage of the population? They represent what percentage of the consumers for prescription drugs?(range)
12%; 25-30%
What drug classes usually contribute to polypharmacy?(2-6 points
analgesics/antiarthtritics; antiacids and histamine-2 receptor antagonists; cardiovascular drugs; laxatives; nutritional supplements; psychotropics
What nervous system changes can you contribute to aging?( 3-6 points)
brain atrophy; decrease in brain catechol syntehesis, decrease in DA synthesis; decrease in righting reflexes, decrease in stage 3 sleep ; decrease in thermoregulation
Does Medicare cover nursing home care?
Yes, but only for 90 days max after hospitalization
Does Medicaid cover nursing home care?
Yes
What musculoskeletal changes can you contribute to aging?(2 points)
decrease in muscle, decrease in bone density
What is a specific example of a non-presentation seen among the elderly?
A patient with pneumonia who present without a fever
What is the general rule use when considering pharmacotherapy for an older patient?
Start low and go slow
As a physician, you should watch out for delayed signs of drug-related toxicity for drugs with age-related decrease effects. What are examples of those drugs?(a group of drugs and a specific name for another drug?)
β-blockers and tolbutamide
What are specific drugs you should watch out for due to the fact that they impair renal function?(3-7 points)
allupurinol, digoxin, many cephalosporins, cirpofloxacin, histamine receptor antagonists(cimetidine, ranitidine, famotidine), venlafaxine and morphine
Can you contribute decrease cough reflex to aging?
yes
Why is polypharmacy more likely in older populations?(2-4 points)
increase symptoms resulting from increase prevalence of the disease; prescribers, one prescription used to deal with the side-effect of another prescription and drug advertising
ADL or IADL: paying bills, dressing; playing games; ambulation; traveling out of neighborhood?
IADL, ADL, IADL; ADL; IADL
What is a major concern when considering adverse drug reactions in the older population?
May be undetected in older adults because they can miic the characteristics of problems, disease, or symptoms commonly preset in the elderly
What are age related changes yo use when considering metabolism?
Decrease liver mass and liver blood flow plus contaminant disease, nutritional status and genetics leading to a potential for decrease in hepatic function
What changes in the eyes and the ears and be attributed to aging?(2-3 points)
Presbyopia, lens opacification, decrease in high frequency acuity
What are examples of geriatric syndromes?(6-11 points)
dementia, delirium, weight loss, urinary incontinence, falls; gait abnormalities, behavorial changes, weight loss, dizziness, poor nutrition, feeding impairment and sleep disorders
What are specific examples of drugs have a change in volume distribution due to age related changes?(1-3 points)
there is a decrease unbound fraction of propranolol, there is an increase psychotropic distribution into fat and an increase free concentration of meperidine, phenytoin due to decrease binding to RBCs
Persons greater than 60 years of age represent what proportion of drug-related deaths?
1/2
How do highly protein-bound drugs pharmacokinetics change in the aging population?
Highly protein bound drugs have the potential for greater (active) free concentration until metabolic excretory compensation occurs
What treatment factors should you as a physician consider when dealing with non-adherence?(3-5 points)
duration of treatment, number of medications, complexity, dosing frequency and types of medications
What is the percentage of persons older than 60 years of age don’t take drugs as directed?
~40%
Polypharmacy may increase what adverse events in older persons when considering their phamacological use?
predispositions to taking medications incorrectly; increase overlapping or antagonistic pharmacologic agents; adverse drug reactions: drug-disease, drug- drug or patient non-compliance
How do you assess adherence?(2-4 points)
observation of home environment, ask client to gather all medications, direction question related to the specific use of medication and pay attention to pharmacy refill patterns
What are the causes of urinary incontinence in older people?(4-7 points)
D elirium I nfection–urinary (symptomatic) A trophic urethritis and vaginitis P harmaceuticals P sychologic disorders, especially depression E xcessive urine output (eg, from heart failure or hyperglycemia) R estricted mobility S tool impaction
What general differences in presentation in diseases do you see with older patients?(2-3 points)
Non-specific presentation, no presentations and altered presentations