Geriatric Flashcards
What is sarcopenia?
Age related loss of muscle mass
How does sarcopenia affect PFTs?
Decreased muscle mass affects respiratory muscles including accessory muscles
When does sarcopenia begin?
40-60 years of age
What changes would sarcopenia cause in a PFT?
Altered flows, volumes and capacities
Why does the chest wall become stiffer as we age?
Costal cartilage begins to calcify
Osteoporosis
Rib-vertebral articulation changes
Narrowing of vertebral disks
What happens to the AP diameter and lateral chest diameter as we age?
Changes from 1:2 to 1:1
Without emphysema
What is the surface area of mature lungs in a 20 year old?
70 square meters
What is the surface area in lungs of a 70 year old?
60 square meters
Why do the lungs become more compliant with age?
Reduced elastic recoil
Alveoli dilate
Pores of kohn expand
What cardiac changes occur as humans age?
Heart walls thicken resulting in decreased volumes
Aortic knob calcifies - no clinical significance
Heart valves thicken and stiffen
T/F: the WOB in a 70 year old is 3 times that of a 20 year old
False. The WOB of a 70 year old is about twice that of a 20 year old
What changes on a PFT do we see over a persons life span?
Decreased vital capacity
Decreased FEV1
Increased residual volume
Decreased PEFR
Decreased diffusion capacity
T/F: pH and PaCO2 change slightly overtime resulting in CO2 retention and lower pH values
False. pH and PaCO2 remain relatively the same
T/F: PaO2 of lower than 70 mmHg is common in elderly populations
False. A PaO2 of less than 70 mmHg is abnormal in healthy adults regardless of age
What is true about the medical conditions of adults who are older than 65 years?
They have a 77% chance to have 2 or more chronic health conditions
How do the central and peripheral chemoreceptors change as we age and what effect does this have?
They become less sensitive
Increased ventilatory response time to abnormal oxygenation or ventilation
What is the normal respiratory rate in elderly patients/
16-24
Describe the heart rate that is associated with old age
Doesnt change appreciably
Some reduction due to age
Some individuals may experience symptomatic bradyarrhythmias
What could a bounding pulse in an elderly patient indicate?
Atherosclerosis
Loss of peripheral vessel tone
Sepsis
What is orthostatic hypotension?
A drop in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg from supine to seated or seated to standing
What could cause an irregular pulse in an elderly patient mean?
Arrhythmias
More common with age
What are elderly patients with orthostatic hypotension at risk for/
Falls
Why might an elderly patient have cold extremities?
Poor perfusion
Blunted thermoregulatory response
What is true about fevers in the elderly?
Immune response is blunted so they may have an infection and not be able to mount a significant defense or a fever
A fever in an elderly patient may be more serious than a patient who is younger
