Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geriatrics > Immobility and Falls > Flashcards

Immobility and Falls Flashcards

1
Q

Define a fall

A
  • Inadvertently coming to rest on the ground
  • Without LOC
  • Not caused by seizures, being drunk, overwhelming physical force, sudden onset of paralysis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Outcomes of a fall

A
  • Injury (soft tissue, fracture, SA haemorrhage)
  • Rhabdomyolysis (increased CK)
  • Loss of confidence/independence/reduced QOL
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Risk factors for falls

A
  • Muscle weakness
  • Gait/balance/visual deficit
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Age
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

3 types of factors contributing to falls

A
  • Intrinsic factors
  • Extrinsic factors
  • Situational factors
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

7 intrinsic factors

A
  • Gait + balance problems
  • Syncope
  • Chronic disease (neuro/msk)
  • Acute illness
  • Cognitive disorder
  • Vitamin D deficiency
  • Visual problems
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

3 extrinsic factors

A
  • Inappropriate footwear
  • Environmental hazards (uneven paving, stairs)
  • Poor lighting
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

3 situational factors

A
  • Alcohol
  • Urgency of micturition
  • Medications
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Medications that increases risk of fall

A
  • Antidepressants
  • Antipsychotics
  • Anticholinergics
  • Antihypertensives
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Diuretics
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What kind of antidepressant carries the higher risk of fall

A

TCAs > SSRIs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

3 parts of controlling balance

A
  • Sensory input (visual, vestibular, proprioceptive)
  • Central processing (cerebrum, cerebellum, basal ganglia, brain stem)
  • Muscular activity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is assessed in a gait + balance assessment

A
  • Sitting to standing ability
  • Transfers
  • Static standing test
  • Romberg test
  • Heel-toe walking
  • Gait
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

2 scales used to test balance + gait

A
  • Tinettie gait + balance scale

- Berg balance scale

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

5 causes of vertigo

A
  • Labrynthitis
  • Acute ear infection
  • Meniere’s disease
  • Cerebellar/brainstem pathology
  • Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Management of transient LOC

A
  • Hx (patient + collateral)
  • Examination
  • 12 lead ECG
  • Assess for red flags + consider other tests
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hx for syncope (patient)

A
  • Prodromal symptoms
  • LOC ?
  • Last and first thing they recall
  • Previous episodes
  • Injuries?
  • PMHx + DHx + FHx (including sudden death)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Collateral Hx for syncope

A
  • Circumstances of event
  • Posture immediately before LOC
  • Appearance
  • Limb-jerking/Tongue-biting?
  • Duration (onset to regaining consciousness)
  • Confusion during recovery period? (postictal (5-30mins) )
  • Unilateral weakness during recovery period
17
Q

Examination of syncope

A
  • Vital signs, including lying + standing BP
  • Focussed neuro + cardio exam
  • Look for any injuries
18
Q

3 red flag ECG findings

A
  • Inappropriate, persistent bradycardia
  • Long QT and short QT intervals
  • Abnormal T wave inversion
19
Q

Red flags for syncope

A
  • Onset with exertion
  • FHx of sudden cardiac death (<40yrs)
  • New unexplained breathlessness
  • Murmur (?new?)
20
Q

7 reasons to suspect a seizure

A
  • Bitten tongue
  • Head turning to 1 side during episode
  • No memory of abnormal behaviour that was witnessed before, during or after event
  • PRONLONGED, simultaneously limb-jerking
  • Confusion after event (postictal)
  • Prodromal deja vu or jamais vu
  • Unusual posturing
21
Q

4 reasons to NOT suspect a seizure

A
  • Prodromal symptoms that on other occasions have been abolished by sitting or lying down
  • Sweating before the episode
  • Precipitated by long standing
  • Pallor during the episode
22
Q

Describe “off legs”

A
  • Hypoxia therefore impaired central processing of info, or correction of imbalance
  • Usually secondary to acute illness (infection/dehydration)
  • Usually reversible
  • Often associated with delirium
23
Q

4 reasons dementia can lead to falls

A
  • Impaired judgment
  • Abnormal gait
  • Affects visuospatial perception
  • Affects ability to recognise + avoid hazards

(Also think medication e.g. anticholinesterase)

24
Q

How to asses risk of osteoporosis

A

FRAX or QFRACTURE tool

25
Q

How to assess BMD

A

DEXA scanning

26
Q

What T-score suggests osteopenia and osteoporosis

A

-1 to -2.5 = Osteopenia

< -2.5 - = Osteoporosis

27
Q

Most common site of fracture in elderly

A
  • Hip
  • Wrist
  • Vertebrae
28
Q

What is sarcopenia

A

The degenerative loss of skeletal muscle, quality, and strength associated with aging

29
Q

Pneumonic for sarcopenia

A 
DECLINE
Diabetes/insulin resistance 
-Elderly
-Chronic disease 
-Lack of us 
-Inflammation 
-Nutritional deficiency 
-Endocrine dysfunction
30
Q

3 types of complications of immobility

A
  • Social
  • Psychological
  • Physical (muscle wasting/contractures, pressure sores, DVT, hypostatic pneumonia)

Geriatrics (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions