Homeostasis in Aging

Question 1

Altered homeostasis in geriatrics refers to what phenomenon?

Answer 1

The normal phenomenon of change brought on by the aging process and its effect on illness and injury.

Question 2

Homeostasis in aging has what effect on the bodies systems?

Answer 2

Loss within one system takes away from the bodies entire reserves!

Thus the body becomes weaker in all systems in response to a problem in one system.

AS WE AGE WE LOSE OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL RESERVES = HOMEOSTENOSIS and HOMEOSTATIC BALLANCE BECOMES LESS OPTIMAL

Question 3

Which neurotransmitter concentrations change with age?

Answer 3

Dopamine and serotonin

Leads to mood issues, concentration issues, and sleep issues.

Question 4

Why is the brain more suceptible to damage with age?

Answer 4

Increased delicacy of brain vascular tissue.

Question 5

What aging problem can lead to occult hypothyroidism?

Answer 5

Decreased T3

Question 6

Which cells in the pancrease begin to die with age?

Answer 6

B cells leading to increased fasting glucose and glucose intolerance.

Question 7

A decrease in what hormone in aging will lead to osteoporosis in both sexes?

Answer 7

DHEA

Question 8

What aging deficiency leads to predisposition to hyperkalemia?

Answer 8

Decreased plasma renin and aldosterone.

Question 9

What aging process leads to impaired extracellular volume regulation and electrolyte homeostasis?

Answer 9

Increased:
Norepinephrine
Vasopressin
Insulin
Atrial natriuretic peptide
and
parathormone.

Question 10

What aging process will lead to a normal resting heart rate but diminished maximal heart rate?

Answer 10

Decreased responsiveness to B-adrenergic stimulation.

Question 11

What aging process will lead to increased risk of orthostatic hypotension?

Answer 11

Decreased baroreceptor responses.

Question 12

What aging process leads to an increased aystolic blood pressure and increased afterload?

Answer 12

Increased collagen deposition and cross linking within the arteries.

Question 13

What aging process will lead to impaired LV relaxation (Diastolic dysfunction)

Answer 13

Decreased cardiocytes and increased fibroblasts.

In other words the heart becomes more stiff and depends more on the atrial kick.

Question 14

What aging process leads to diastoly dysfunction?

Answer 14

Increased atrial kick due to stiffened heart!

Question 15

Geriatric patients are unable to increase CO by heart rate and thus they must increase cardiac output by what mechanism?

Answer 15

Stroke volume must increase

CO = HR x SV

Question 16

What process of aging increases the risk of atrial fibrillation?

Answer 16

Loss of pacemaker cells in the SA node.

Question 17

What increases the risk of a heart block in aging patients?

Answer 17

Deterioration of conductive cells in the SA / AV / His / Purkinje system.

Question 18

What aging process leads to loss of alveoli and total alveolar surface area?

Answer 18

Accumuated effects of oxidative stress / free radical damage.

Leads to V/Q mismatch.

Question 19

What happens with creatine clearance as we age?

Answer 19

Creatine clearance decreases.`

Question 20

Which cellular activity leads to osteoporosis?

Answer 20

Increased osteoclastic activity mostly, but there is decreased osteoblastic activity as well.

Question 21

What effects does extra estrogen dosage have when given?

Answer 21

Good bone quality and better cholesterol totals.
HOWEVER
It also leads to increased death rates.

Question 22

What are the negative effects of administered estrogen?

Answer 22

Increased clotting tendency

Higher breast and endometrial carcinoma.

Question 23

What frequencyh of sound is lost with age?

Answer 23

Frequency primarily above 3000 Hz