GeriatricsBrainscape Flashcards
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
respiratory insufficiency marked by progressive hypoxemia due to severe inflammatory damage
Advance Directive
Legal document prepared when a person is alive, competent, and able to make informed decisions about health care. The document provides guidelines on treatment if the person is no longer capable of making decisions.
Ageism
Discrimination against aged or elderly people
Alzheimer’s Disease
a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in impaired memory, thinking and behavior. It affects 4 million americans
Aneurysm
Abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery, due to congenital defect or a weakness in the wall of the vessel
Ankylosing spondylitis
A form of inflammatory arthritis that primarily affects the spine
Anorexia nervosa
Eating disorder marked by excessive fasting
Anoxic hypozemia
an oxygen deficiency due to disordered pulmonary mechanisms of oxygenation
Aortic Dissection
A denegration of the wall of the aorta
Aphasia
absence or impairment of the ability to communicate through speaking, writing, or signing as a result of brain dysfunction; occurs when the individual suffers a brain injury due to stroke or head injury and no longer has the ability to speak or read. In sensory aphasia, the patient cannot understand the spoken word. In motor aphasia the patient can understand what is said but cannot speak. A patient with global aphasia has both sensory and motor aphasia.
Assisted living
Housing for the elderly or disabled that provides nursing care, housekeeping, and prepared meals as needed.
Autonomic dysfunction
An abnormality of the involuntary aspect of the nervous system
Brain Ischemia
injury to the brain tissues caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen and nutrients
Cataracts
Medical condition in which the lens of the eye loses its clearness.
Comorbidity
Having more than one disease at a time.
Congregate Care
Living arrangement in which the elderly live in, but do not own, individual apartments or rooms and receive select services.
Delirium
An acute alteration in mental functioning that is often reversible
Dysphagia
inability to swallow or difficulty swallowing
Dysphoria
An exaggerated feeling of depression or unrest, characterized by a mood of general dissatisfaction, restlessness, discomfort, and unhappiness.
Elderly
A person over the age of 65
Epistaxis
Nose bleed
Fibrosis
the formation of fiber like connective tissue also called scare tissue, in an organ
Functional Impairment
Decreased ability to meet daily needs on an independent basis
Geriatric Abuse
A syndrome in which an elderly person is physically or psychologically injured by another person
Geriatrics
the study and treatment of diseases of the aged
Gerontology
scientific study of the effects of aging and of age-related diseases on humans
Glaucoma
group of eye diseases that results in increased intraocular pressure on the optic nerve; if left untreated it can lead to blindness.
Glomerulonephritis
a form of nephritis or inflammation of the kidneys; primarily involves the glomeruli, one of the capillary networks that are part of the renal corpuscles in the nephrons.
Heat Stroke
Life-threatening condition caused by a disturbance in temperature regulation; in the elderly, characterized by extreme fever and, in extreme cases, delirium or coma.
hepatomegaly
enlarged liver
herpes zoster
an acute eruption caused by reactivation of latent varicella virus (chicken pox) in the dorsal root ganglia; also known as shingles
hiatal hernia
protrusion of the stomach upward into the medialstinal cavity through the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm
hypertorphy
an increase in the size or bulk of an organ or structure; caused by goeth rather than by a tumor.
Hypochondriasis
an abnormal concern with one’s health, with the false belief of suffering from some disease, despite medical assurances to the contrary; commonly known as hypochondria.
Immune Senescence
Diminished vigor of the immune response to the challenge and rechallenge by pathogens
Incontinince
inability to retain urine or feces because of loss of sphincter control or cerebral or spinal lesions.
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Bleeding directly into the brain.
Life-Care Community
Communities that provide apartments/homes for independent living and a range of services, including nursing care. Usually the elderly own their own homes.
Maceration
process of softening a solid by soaking it in a liquid
Marfan Syndrome
hereditary condition of connective tissue, bone, muscles, ligaments, and skeletal structures characterized by irregular and unsteady gait, tall lean body types with long extremities, flat feet and stooped shoudlers. the aorta is usually dilated and may become weakened enough to allow an aneurysm to develop.
Melena
a dark, tarry stool caused by the presence of digested free blood
Ménière’s Disease
a disease of the inner ear characterized by vertigo, nerve deafness, and a roar or buzzing in the ear.
Mesenteric Ischemia or infarct
Death of tissue in the peritoneal fold (Mesentery) that encircles the small intestines; a life threatening condition
Nephrons
the functional units of the kidneys
Nocturia
excessive urination during the night
Old-old
an elderly person age 80 or older
osteoarthritis
A degenerative joint disease, characterized by a loss of articular cartilage and hypertrophy of bone
Osteoperosis
softening of bone tissue due to the loss of essential minerals principally calcium
Parkinson’s Disease
Chronic, degenerative nervous disease characterized by tremors, muscular weakness and rigidity, and a loss of postural reflexes
Personal-care home
living arrangement that includes room, board, and some supervision
Pill-rolling motion
an involuntary tremor, usually in one hander sometimes in both, in which fingers move as if they were rolling a pill back and forth
polycythemia
an excess of red blood cells. IN a newborn, the condition may reflect hypovolemia or prolonged intrauterine hypoxia
polypharmacy
multiple drug therapy in which there is a concurrent use of a number of drugs
pressure ulcer
ischemic damage and subsequent necrosis affecting the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and often the muscle result of intense pressure over a short time or low pressure over a long time; also known as a pressure sore or bedsore.
pruritis
itching; often occurs as a symptom of some systemic change or illness.
retinopathy
any disorder of the retina
senile dementia
general term used to describe an abnormal decline in mental functioning seen in the elderly; also called organic brain syndrome or multi-infarct dementia
Shy-Drager Syndrome
chronic orthostatic hypotension caused by a primary autonomic nervous system deficiency
Sick sinus syndrome
a group of disorders characterized by dysfunction of the sinoatrial node in the heart
silent myocardial infarction
a myocardial infarction that occurs without exhibiting obvious signs and symptoms
Spondylosis
a degeneration of the vertebral body
Stoke-Adams Syndrome
A series of symptoms resulting from heart block, most commonly syncope. The symptoms result from decreased blood flow to the brain caused by the sudden decrease in cardiac output
Stroke
Injury to or death of brain tissue resulting from interruption of cerebral blood flow and oxygenation.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Bleeding that occurs between the arachnoid and dura mater of the brain
Substance Abuse
Misuse of chemically active agents such as alcohol, psychoactive chemicals, and therapeutic agents, typically results in clinically significant impairment or distress.
Tinnitus
ringing or tingling sound in the ear
Transient Ischemic Attack
reversible interruption of blood flow to the brain; often seen as a precursor to a stroke
Two-pillow orthopnea
the number of pillows—in this case, two—needed to ease the difficulty of breathing while lying down; a significant factor in assessing the level of respiratory distress.
Urosepsis
Septicemia originating from the urinary tract
Valsalva Maneuver
Forced exhalation against a closed glottis, such as with coughing. This maneuver stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve, which in turn slows the heart rate.
Varicosities
An abnormal dilation of a vein or group of veins
Vertigo
the sensation of faintness or dizziness, may cause a loss of balance.
