Geriatric Syndromes Flashcards
What is geriatric syndrome?
Common health conditions in older adults that have multifactorial causes and do not fit into discrete disease categories
What is the sum of geriatric syndrome?
Predispose older adults to poor health outcomes, decreased function and quality of life
What are some examples that may predispose someone to geriatric syndrome? (6)
Falls, frailty, Cognitive impairment, delirium, Urinary incontinence, latrogenesis
What is latrogenesis?
is the causation of a disease, a harmful complication, or other ill effect by any medical activity, including diagnosis, intervention, error, or negligence.
How many older adults fall each year?
20-30%
What is the best predictor of a future fall?
Previous fall
On average ever ___ minutes an older Canadian is hospitalized due to a fall.
10 minutes
What are the common types of injuries that result from a fall?
Broken or fracture bones, sprain/strain., scrapes, cut puncture, bites
What percentage of falls result in serious injury?
50-10%
What are three types of serious injuries?
bone fracture
Head injury
Laceration
What percentage of hip fractures result from a fall?
95%
_____ of those who suffer a hip fracture die within a year
20%
Another ___ of those who suffer a hip fracture will never live independently again
20%
What is the risk of fall prevention?
We decondition ourselves and this actually increases fall risk
What does fear of falling also lead to?
Social isolation, low mood, decrease QOL
Where do most falls occur?
Home
What are some risk factors of falls?
Medical/biological
Pharmacological
Environmental
Social/economic
Behaviours
What are some intrinsic factors that contribute to falls?
What are some extrinsic factors that contribute to falls?
With regards to medical/biological what are some contributions?
WIth regards to environmental what increases fall risk?
In terms of social/economic what increases fall risk
What does social isolation increase?
mortality, same as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day
What are the behavioural risk factors for falls?
What are some contributions to falls with regards to medicaitons?
How may medication and falls be indirectly impacted by medications?
Diuretics and using the washroom at night
lack of appropriate treatment for pain of a certain medical condition, decreased activity, therefore increased fall risk.
Reducing fall risk is modifiable via medications by?
Withdrawal of medications that increase fall risk
The effects of anticholinergic medications is?
Cumulative
What is the conclusion about fall risk with regards to CV medicaitons?
What is the conclusion regarding fall risk with hypoglycemics?
What is the fall risk with regards to anticonvulsants?
What is the fall risk with regards to opioids?
Studies show mixed results
Who is a multifactorial fall risk assessment?
In summary falls usually have multifactorial causes and require intervention that is?
Multifactorial
What are some interventions for fall prevention (Other)
Vitamind D, Fracture prevention
What is the definition of frailty?
Medical syndrome that increases an individuals vulnerability to loss of independence and/or death
How is frailty characterized?
Decreased strength. endurance, and functional reserves.
What is frailty associated with?
Increase age, number of medical comborbidities, lower socioeconomic status
Who does frailty effect more men or women?
women > men
What are some frailty models that have been proposed
Rockwood and Fried
What is the best single item predictor for frailty?
Gait speed
What is gait speed?
the time one takes to walk a specified distance on level surfaces over a short distance
What is considered for frail with regards to gait speed?
<0.8 ms
How may medications lead to frailty?
Frailty is associated with increase risk of adverse drug reactions. How many medications usually?
5+
When evaluating medication therapy for frail adults what must be considered?
Benefit and risk
What is a comprehensive geriatric assessment?
What may help with frailty?
Exercise programs, optimize health status, streamline medications as much as possible
WIth regards to falls what number of medications is associated with increased fall risk?
> 4 medicaitons
What is cognitive impairment?
With regards to nutrition approximately ____ of patients taking > ___ medicaitons found to be malnourished
50%, 10
