Physiology Of Aging Flashcards
Why is there an ongoing demographic shift?
Life expectancy is increasing and fertility rates are falling
Why are people able to live longer now?
Increased resource availability
Better economic conditions
Improved screening programmes meaning earlier diagnosis
Better outcomes following major events (surgery, cardiac, stroke)
What are the consequences of having an older population?
More people surviving a major event means more people living with comorbs
How are older people different from younger people?
Primary/secondary ageing
Selective survival and cohort effects
What is the difference between primary and secondary ageing?
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What are cohort effects?
What a group of people like due to their generation????????
What is selective survival?
Eg during the war men went to fight so that generation now has more woman than men ????????
What are the beneficial effects of ageing?
Increased experiential learning
What are the neutral effects of ageing?
Different past times
Grey hair
What are the detrimental effects of ageing?
Hypertension
Decreased reaction times
Etc.
What are the 3 theories of ageing?
Stochastic
Programmed
Homeostasis failure
What is the stochastic theory of ageing?
Random cumulative damage
What is the programmed theory of ageing?
Predetermined degeneration
Due to gene changes throughout various stages
How does ageing differ between different people?
Inter-individual variability in development and magnitude of changes
Inter-individual variability increases with age
How does ageing affect the kidneys?
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How does ageing affect the lungs?
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How does ageing affect the CV system?
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What is frailty due to?
Progressive dyshomeostasis
Give an example of social dyshomeostasis
Why is it so relevant?
Different ability to compensate for main carer going on holiday
Ageing often associated with whole system dyshomeostasis
What is a major issue with diagnosing elderly patients?
The same disease can present very differently in the elderly, eg hyperthyroidism
What are the classical symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
Tremor
Anxiety
Weight loss
Diarrhoea
How can hyperthyroidism present in an elderly patient?
Depression Cognitive impairment Muscle weakness AF Heart failure Angina
What is the evidence gap in geriatric medicine?
Many conditions are more common in geriatric patients but very few trials of medications in elderly populations takes place
Means little evidence of efficacy/safety in patients 80+
Elderly patients are often on many medications. What are the implications of this?
More ADRs and DDIs
