LC 3.11 Multimorbidity in the Elderly Population

Question 1

What is multi-morbidity?

Answer 1

The presence of two or more long term conditions simultaneously

Question 2

What proportion of LTC patients have multi-morbidity?

Answer 2

50%

Question 3

How many medications must someone be on to be classed as polypharmacy?

Answer 3

4

Question 4

What is the iatrogenic risk of multi-morbidity?

Answer 4

Poor care co-ordination, (e.g. interacting medication or duplicate testing) ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’

Question 5

What leads to multi-morbidities?

Answer 5

• One condition causes another
  
  • Common aetiologies of two conditions
  • Treatment of one condition leads to another
  • Predisposition to mental health problems

Question 6

What causes high brain natriuretic peptide?

Answer 6

Stretching of the myocardium (HF

Question 7

What is ‘off-legs’?

Answer 7

A decline in ADLs due to pre-existing and underlying LTCs, causing admission due to ‘inability to cope’ - older patients

Question 8

What are the common causes of ‘off-legs’?

Answer 8

• Infections
  
  • Metabolic problems (e.g. hypercalcaemia)
  • Mechanical problems (e.g. falls)

Question 9

When assessing whether a patient should be placed onto anticoagulation, what two scores are used?

Answer 9

• HAS-BLED

* CHADS2-VASc