Midterm Flashcards
What are mistakes made with geriatric medicine
- Mistake pure aging for disease or disease for pure aging
- diseases and problems are much more common
- Ignoring increased risk of adverse drug effects
- Forget that there are often multiple underlying disorders that accelerate potential for harm
Aging stats
14% of US pop. uses over 40% of health care resources (ages 70-75)
by 2026 over 20% of pop will be over 65 (10,000 more a day)
What is respite care?
A provision of temporary care by a substitute caregiver to provide relief to a regular caregiver. Can be fulfilled in home, at a facility or hospital
Which are the most vulnerable organ systems in the body?
Renal, cardiac and CNS
Common age related changes
- Decline in all 5 senses
- Lower muscle mass, bone density and ligament elasticity
- Greater likelihood of chronic disease and increased incidence of cancers
What is age caused disease?
The result of sensence:
- cardiovascular inelasticity
- Decline in sensory abilities
- Diminished sight
What is age related disease?
Common with aging:
Depression
Loss of vision
How much of aging is due to extrinsic factors?
85%! (65% environmental)
Less than 35% of aging is due to heritability
What are weight loss terms for the elderly
- Sarcopenia: loss of muscle mass (intrinsic age related condition)
- Cahcexia: Loss of fat-free mass (esp. body cell mass) with little to no weight loss
- Wasting: unintentional loss of weight, including both fat and fat-free components (this develops later AFTER first two)
What are leading causes of death in those over 65?
- Heart disease
- Malignant neoplasm
- Cerebrovascular disorders/stroke
- COPD, pneumonia, atherosclerosis, DM, accidents, kidney issues, chronic liver disease
- Alzheimer’s, Suicide??
What are the top 10 chronic conditions in the elderly?
- Arthritis
- HTN (pseudo, isolated)
- Hearing impairment
- Heart disease
- Deformity or Orthopedic impairment
- Visual impairment
- Diabetes
- Varicose veins
- Abdominal hernia
What % of elderly patients complain of constipation? Why is it a big deal?
30%
Can result in fecal impaction or other life threatening problems, plus its not “normal”
Why do elderly patients get constipation?
- Changes in tone, sensation and motililty
- Psychological issues
- medications
- diet
- lack of exercise
- GI, metabolic or neurologic conditions
Top 3 diagnoses for an elderly patient with radiculopathy?
- DJD with osteophytes
- Stenosis
- Tumor
Disc herniations not as common because discs dry out
What are the most common risk factors for aytpical presentations?
- Increasing age
- Multiple medical conditions (multimorbidity)
- Multiple medications
- Cognitive or functional impairment
What are good potential questions for elderly patients with new symptoms?
- Is the patient usually quiet or is this new?
- Are they are “fidgety” or more hyperactive?
- Any weight loss?
- New meds that correspond with symptoms?
- Past infections? what signs did they have?
- New change in mobility?