Geriatrics Flashcards
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Recurrent episodes of vertigo triggered by head movement
What causes benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?
Crystals of calcium carbonate (otoconia) become displaced into the semicircular canals of the inner ear, disrupting the normal flow of endolymph through the canals, confusing the vestibular system
Risk factors for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Viral infection
- Head trauma
- Ageing
Presentation of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
Sudden onset of dizziness and vertigo triggered by changes in head position, commonly turning over in bed or gazing upwards
Symptoms settle after 20-60 seconds
How is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo diagnosed?
Dix-Hallpike manoeuvre (move their head and trigger vertigo)
What investigation is used to exclude differential diagnoses of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?
MRI/CT head (brainstem stroke, vestibular schwannoma)
Management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
- Epley manoeuvre
- Brandt-Daroff exercises
What are some medical causes of falls?
- Cognitive impairment
- Arthritis
- Muscle weakness
- Disorders of balance and gait (Parkinson’s, ataxia, stroke)
- Visual impairment
- Postural hypotension and syncope
- Vestibular disorders
- Polypharmacy
- Alcohol excess
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Effects of ageing on strength/postural stability/reaction time
- Use of walking aid
What external environmental causes are there for falls?
- Rugs
- Stairs
- Footwear
- Poor lighting
What drugs can increase your risk of falls?
- Benzodiazepine
- Antipsychotics
- Opiates
- Anticonvulsants
- Codeine
- Digoxin
- Antihypertensives
What are complications of a fall without a long lie?
- Pain
- Loss of confidence
- Loss of independence
- Hospital admission
- Serious injury, e.g. hip fracture, head injury
- Death
Management of falls
- Treat medical risk factors where possible (medication review)
- Modify environmental hazards in home
- Patient education and training
- Mitigation of complications: treat osteoporosis, use hip protectors, walking frames, personal alarms
What should be assessed in a falls patient?
- Injuries/deformities
- Osteoporosis risk
- Cognition and dementia screen
- Neurological examination, including gait, muscle strength, balance and vision
- Cardiovascular examination
- Turn 180 test
- Timed up and go test
Hypothermia
Core temperature < 32
Whole-body cooling
What happens to the pulse, BP, cardiac output, cerebral blood flow and respiration in hypothermia?
Pulse rate falls
Systemic BP falls
Cardiac output falls
Cerebral blood flow falls
Respiration becomes shallow and slow
What happens to muscles and reflexes in hypothermia?
Muscle stiffness
Tendon reflexes become sluggish and then absent
As coma ensues, pupillary and other brainstem reflexes are lost
What ECG changes are seen in hypothermia?
Bradycardia with J waves (pathognomic), prolongation of PR and QT intervals and QRS complex
Which way does the oxygen dissociation curve move in hypothermia?
Left
Medical risk factors for hypothermia
- Impaired thermoregulation - pneumonia, MI, heart failure
- Reduced metabolism - immobility, hypothyroidism, DM
- Autonomic neuropathy - DM, Parkinson’s
- Excess heat loss - psoriasis, widespread dermatological disease
- Decreased cold awareness - dementia, confusion
- Increased exposure to cold - falls
- Depressant drugs - hypnotics, alcohol, tranquilisers, antidepressants, diuretics
- Elderly (reduced ability to sense cold, little insulating fat)
Environmental risk factors for hypothermia
- Poor heating - poverty, poor housing
- Inadequate clothing
- Poor nutrition
Clinical manifestation of mild and severe hypothermia
Mild
* Shivering
* Intense discomfort
Severe
* Impaired judgement, including lack of awareness of cold
* Drowsiness and coma
* Death (from ventricular fibrillation)
What investigations should be done in someone with hypothermia?
- U&E
- Glucose
- Amylase
- TFT
- FBC
- Blood cultures
- ECG
Management of hypothermia
- Keep them horizontal or slightly head down
- Rewarm gradually: remove wet clothing, direct heat from electric blanket, warm humidified oxygen, warm IV infusion or warm fluids orally
- Treat underlying conditions, e.g. sepsis, sedative drugs, hypothyroidism
- Correct metabolic abnormalities
- Diagnose and treat arrhythmias
- Consider antibiotics to prevent pneumonia
Complications of hypothermia
- Arrhythmias
- Pneumonia
- Pancreatitis
- AKI
- DIC
Constipation
- Infrequent passage of stool (< 3 spontaneous bowel motions per week)
- Difficulty passing stool
- Sensation of incomplete emptying
Causes of constipation
- Poor diet with lack of fibre
- Lack of exerise
- Dehydration
- Colorectal carcinoma
- Strictures, e.g. Crohn’s
- Hypercalcaemia
- Hypothyroidism
- Opiates, iron and calcium channel blockers
- Spinal injury
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Parkinson’s disease
- MS
What score on the Bristol stool chart is constipation?
1-2
What criteria assesses for constipation?
Rome IV criteria
What is the Rome IV criteria?
To diagnose chronic idiopathic constipation, 2 or more of the following for the last 3 months with symptoms onset at least 6 months prior to diagnosis:
* Straining during more than 25% of defecations
* Lumpy or hard stools more than 25% of defecations
* Sensation of incomplete evacuation more than 25% of defecations
* Sensation of anorectal obstruction/blockage more than 25% of defecations
* Manual manoeuvres to facilitate more than 25% of defecations, e.g. digital evacuation
* Fewer than 3 spontaneous bowel movements per week
* Loose stools are rarely present without the use of laxatives
* Insufficient criteria for IBS
What investigations should be used to rule out secondary causes of constipation?
- Faecal calprotectin (IBD, colorectal cancer)
- Quantitative faecal immunochemical test (IBD, colorectal cancer)
- TFT (hypothyroidism)
- HbA1c (DM)
- CT abdomen and pelvis (diverticular stricture, malignancy)
When does constipation need urgent assessment?
New change in bowel habit or other concerning ‘red flag’ symptoms:
* Weight loss
* Rectal bleeding
* Family history of colorectal cancer
* Abdominal pain
* Iron deficiency anaemia
Lifestyle modifications for constipation
- Healthy diet, high in whole grains, fruit and vegetable
- Good fluid intake
- Regular exercise
- Regular, unhurried toilet routine
- Respond immediately to sensation to defecate
- Ensure appropriate access to toilets and privacy
- Provide supported seating if unsteady on toilet
Medications for constipation
- Bulk-forming laxatives: dietary fibre, methylcellulose, mucilaginous gums, mucilaginous seeds and seed coats (ispaghula husk)
- Stimulant laxatives: phenolphthalein, bisacodyl, anthraquinones (senna, dantron), docusate sodium, methylnaltrexone (for opioid-induced constipation), lubiprostone, prucalopride, linaclotide, sodium picosulfate
- Osmotic laxatives: magnesium sulphate, lactulose, macrogols
- Suppositories: bisacodyl, glycerol
- Enemas: arachis oil, sodium docusate, hypertonic phosphate, sodium citrate
Other, more rogue, management options for constipation
- Biofeedback for defecatory disorders
- Prokinetics (Prucalopride), secretagogues (Linaclotide, Lubiprostone)
- Interventional treatments
- Surgery
Pressure ulcer
Skin ischaemia from sustained pressure over a bony prominence, most commonly the heel and sacrum
Risk factors for pressure ulcers
- Prolonged immobility - paraplegia, operation, severe physical disease
- Decreased sensation - diabetes mellitus, neurological disease, coma
- Vascular disease - diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, vasculitis
- Poor nutrition - anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, vitamin C or zinc deficiency
What are the grades of pressure ulcer?
- 1: non-blanching erythema of intact skin
- 2: partial thickness loss involving the epidermis, dermis or both
- 3: full thickness skin loss involving damage/necrosis of subcutaneous tissue
- 4: extensive loss, destruction/necrosis of muscle, bone or support structures
- Unstageable: depth unknown, base of ulcer covered by debris
How do you assess risk of pressure ulcer?
Waterlow pressure ulcer risk assessment
Prevention of pressure ulcers
- Detect at risk patients (tissue viability nurses)
- Barrier creams
- Pressure redistribution - bed rest with pillows and fleeces to keep pressure off bony areas and prevent friction, air-filled cushions for those in wheelchairs and special pressure-relieving mattresses
- Repositioning - regular turning
- Regular skin assessment
Treatment of pressure ulcers
- As for prevention
- Adequate nutrition
- Non-irritant occlusive moist dressings, e.g. hydrocolloid dressings and hydrogels
- Adequate analgesia (may need opiates)
- Plastic surgery (debridement and grafting)
- Antibiotics if infection
- Treatment of underlying condition
Polypharmacy
Taking 5 or more medications
STOPP-START
Polypharmacy toolkit
* STOPP tool asses which drugs can be potentially discontinued in elderly patients
* START tool suggests medications that may provide additional benefits
Malnutrition
State in which a deficiency of energy, protein and/or other nutrients causes measurable adverse effects on the body’s form, composition, function and clinical outcome
Cause of malnutrition
- Reduced nutritional intake
- Increased nutritional requirements
- Inability to utilise nutrients ingested
What happens physiologically to the body in the first 24 hours of starvation and as it continues? What happens when the insulin levels fall?
Body relies on energy from the breakdown of hepatic glycogen to glucose and gluconeogenesis mainly from pyruvate, lactate, glyerol and amino acids (muscle loss)
As starvation continues: insulin levels fall which results in lipolysis and subsequent gluconeogenesis (glycerol) and use of non-esterified fatty acids directly as fuel or oxidised to form ketone bodies
What adaptions does the body make during prolonged starvation?
- Decrease in metabolic rate and total body energy expenditure
- CNS starts using ketone bodies instead of glucose
- Gluconeogenesis in liver decreases
- Protein breakdown in muscle decreases due to increase in ketone bodies
- Most energy comes from adipose tissue with some gluconeogenesis from amino acids
What medical reasons are there for reduced nutrient intake?
- NBM
- Dysphagia
- Cognitive impairment (dementia)
- Muscle weakness and incoordination
- Sensory deficits
- Severe arthritis
- Very ill
- Malignancy
- Nausea
- Painful mouth
- Alcohol and drugs
- Sedation and coma
- Anorexia nervosa
- Depression
What social reasons are there for reduced nutrient intake?
- Poverty
- Social isolation
- Nobody to assist with eating
- Unappetising food
- Lost dentures
What are causes of increased nutrient requirements?
- Sepsis
- Burns
- Trauma
- Surgery
- Very ill
- Severe chronic inflammatory diseases
What are causes of inability to utilise nutrients ingested?
- GI disease, particularly involving small bowel
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
What are the 3 aspects of the MUST score?
- BMI
- Weight loss
- Acute disease affect score (pt acutely ill and there has been or is likely to be no nutritional intake for > 5 days)
How is malnutrition screened?
Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)
What BMI scores points on MUST score?
<18.5 = 2
18.5-20 = 1
What unplanned weight loss in past 3-6 months scores points on MUST?
> 10% = 2
5-10% = 1
How many points does acute disease effect score on MUST?
2
What does a MUST score of 0 indicate?
Low risk of malnutrition
Routine clinical care
Repeat screening (weekly in hospital, monthly in care homes and annually in community)
What does a MUST score of 1 indicate?
Medium risk
Observe
Document dietary intake for 3 days if in hospital or care home
* If adequate: repeat screening as for low risk
* If inadequate: follow local policy, set goals, improve and increase overall nutritional intake, monitor and review care plan regularly
What does a MUST score of 2 or more indicate?
High risk
Treat
* Refer to dietitian, nutritional support team or implement local policy
* Set goals, improve and increase overall nutritional intake
* Monitor and review care plan weekly in hospital, monthly in care home/community
What are the steps of managing malnutrition?
- Food - snacks, nourishing drinks, food fortification
- Oral nutritional supplements
- Enteral nutrition - NG tube (stomach), nasojejunal tube (jejunum), PEG (stomach) or post-pyloric/surgical PEJ
- Parenteral feeding (IV)
Indications for a PEG tube
- Dysphagia (stroke, head and neck surgery, neurological conditions)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Inadequate oral nutritional intake likely to be long term
Indications for post-pyeloric/surgical percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy
- Delayed gastric emptying
- Upper GI/pancreatic surgery
- High risk of aspiration
- Severe acute pancreatitis
When is parenteral nutrition needed?
Gut is inaccessible or unable to absorb sufficient nutrients
* Inadequate absorption (short bowel syndrome)
* GI fistula
* Bowel obstruction
* Prolonged bowel rest
* Severe malnutrition
* Significant weight loss
* Hypoproteinaemia when enteral therapy is not possible
How long can an NG tube, NJ tube and PEG tube be kept in?
NG tube: 30 days
NJ tube: 60 days
PEG: long term
Complications of malnutrition
- Infection
- Reduced muscle strength - falls, chest infections, reduced mobility and inactivity
- Poor wound healing
Refeeding syndrome
Group of clinical symptoms and signs that can occur in the malnourished/starved patient when reintroducing nutrition, due to a shift in the use of energy stores from fat metabolism to carbohydrate metabolism, which initiates insulin release and cellular uptake of potassium, phosphate and magnesium, and shifts in fluids and electrolytes
Complications of refeeding syndrome
- Fluid retention
- Cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure
- Respiratory insufficiency
- Convulsions
- Coma and death
Management of refeeding syndrome
- Slow reintroduction of nutrition
- Daily monitoring of refeeding bloods (U&Es, phosphate, magnesium)
- IV pabrinex or thiamine + vitamin B, prior to feeding and for first 10 days
Risk factors for squamous cell carcinoma
- Chronic UV damage
- Arsenic ingestion in early life
- Immunosuppression, e.g. renal transplant patients (HPV)
Presentation of squamous cell carcinoma
Nodule
* Keratotic (hard)
* Raised, ill-defined edges
* Ulcerated
* Sun-exposed sites
* Can grow rapidly
May be found on solar keratoses, Bowen’s disease, areas of chronic inflammation, on the lips of smokers or in long-standing ulcers
What must be examined in a patient with squamous cell carcinoma?
Regional lymph nodes
Differential diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma
Keratoacanthoma (fast-growing, benign, self-limiting papule plugged with keratin)
Management of squamous cell carcinoma
- Surgical excision with a minimum margin of 5mm
- Radiotherapy to treat recurrence/affected nodes
Complications of squamous cell carcinoma
Local destruction
(Metastasis rare)
Which is worse - basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma?
Squamous cell carcinoma
Higher metastatic potential
What is the commonest cause of transient loss of consciousness?
Syncope
Most common causes of syncope in older adults
- Vasovagal (faints)
- Carotid sinus hypersensitivity
- Cardiac - arrhythmias, valvular disease, conduction abnormalities
- Orthostatic hypotension
Why are older people particularly at risk of depression?
- Physical co-morbidities, e.g. stroke, Parkinson’s, dementia, infection (neurosyphilis), hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, hypercalcaemia, potassium/sodium imbalance, anaemia
- Chronic health problems, e.g. DM, COPD, CCF, chronic pain syndromes
- Polypharmacy - antihypertensives (beta blockers, nifedipine, clonidine), opioids, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, levodopa, digoxin, corticosteroids
- Negative thoughts about the future (part of Beck’s triad)
- More likely to lose loved ones
Why is depression under-recognised and under-diagnosed in the elderly?
- “Depression without sadness” - lethargy, apathy, physical complaints
- Biological symptoms thouht of as a physical illness
What management of depression is more commonly used in the elderly?
ECT