Lecture 9 Holistic Theme - MDT Working

Question 1

What % of A&E attendances of over 65s are associated with a fall?

Answer 1

45%

Question 2

What % of A&E fall attendances result in serious injury?

Answer 2

24%

Question 3

What % of A&E fall attendances result in fracture?

Answer 3

10%

Question 4

Describe falls.

Answer 4

An event, reported either by the faller or a witness, resulting in a person inadvertently coming to rest on the ground or another lower level, with or without loss of consciousness or injury.

Question 5

Describe syncope.

Answer 5

A transient loss of consciousness, characterised by unresponsiveness and loss of pastoral tone, with spontaneous recovery, not requiring specific resuscitation intervention.

Question 6

What is a multi-factorial risk assessment?

Answer 6

Offered to older people who need medical attention because of a fall or have frequent falls or have abnormality of gait and balance.
Performed by healthcare professionals part of an individualised multi-factorial intervention.
Include identification of fall history, assessment of gait, balance, muscle weakness, assessment of osteoporosis risk, assessment of visual impairment, assessment of home hazards.

Question 7

What medical intervention can help with falls?

Answer 7

Echo
HUT
Vasovagal syncope
Head-up tilt table
Echocardiogram

Question 8

What is Canalith repositioning?

Answer 8

Goal is to move particles from the fluid-filled semi-circular canals of the inner ear into a bag like open area (vestibule) that house the otolith organs in the ears where the particles don’t cause trouble and are more easily absorbed.