Psychogeriatrics Flashcards

1
Q

what are some masquerades of depression in geriatric patients?

A
psychosomatic symptoms
cognitive impairment
pain
irritability
psychotic symptoms
substance abuse
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2
Q

what are the common drugs for substance abuse in geriatric patients

A

alcohol abuse

prescribed medications- benzos opiates

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3
Q

In addition to the normal psychiatric history what other things are important to assess in a geriatric patient?

A
  1. Cognition
  2. Medical comorbidities
  3. Functional assessment
  4. Risk assessment- active/passive suicidality
  5. Detailed personal/developmental history (may need to get collateral information)
    • Ascertain how they cope with resilience
    • What are their strengths
    What are their vulnerabilities
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4
Q

what are the SSRIs that we typically prescribe for a geriatric patient with depression?

A

Sertraline and citalopram

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5
Q

what are some practice points of prescribing psychotropic medications for psychogeriatric patients

A

start low go slow; lower doses of psychotropic medications; matching drugs to the patient e.g. consider the SE

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6
Q

options for managing depression in geriatric patients?

A

CBT
Drugs (SSRIs/SNRIs/Mirtazapine/TCAs/anti-psychotics etc)
ECT

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7
Q

An elderly patient presents with late onset mania what are some risks you need to screen for?

A
Financial risk
risk of reputation
risk of harm to self or others
risk of neglect
suicidality
sexual dishibition
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8
Q

how might an elderly patient present with mania?

A

irritated rather than elevated mood
over familiarity with others
disinhibition
erratic behaviour

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9
Q

where is best to take a psychogeriatric interview and why?

A
elderly patients with psychiatric issues are better assessed in their home. We can address things like
	• Food in the kitchen
	• House clean and habitable
	• Medications
	• Personal grooming 
	Etc
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10
Q

what are in the investigations included for an ‘organic work up’ of a geriatric patient presenting with late onset psychiatric symptoms?

A
  • Routine blood tests- FBE UEC LFT Ca TFTs
    • MSU
    • CXR and neuroimaging
    • Needs to be tailored to the patient

Depends on the history and medications

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11
Q

what age group defines very late onset schizophrenia?

A

Very late onset schizophrenia- greater 65 yrs old

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12
Q

what are some issues to consider with dementia patients with BPSD?

A

increased carer burden/burden on nursing staff
increased cost of management
earlier institutionalisation
stigma
poorer prognosis and lower functional ability

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13
Q

what do we mean by the term ‘graduates’ in psychogeriatric medicine?

A

elderly patients with longstanding early onset schizophrenia–>

positive symptoms tend to attenuate
negative symptoms tend to worsen

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14
Q

what type of delusions are common in late onset psychosis?

A

persecutory delusions

misidentification delusions

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15
Q

what is different about the typical delusions of late onset schizophrenia as compared to early onset schizophrenia?

A

late onset schizophrenia delusions tend to be more realistic and not fantastical like early onset schizophrenia

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16
Q

what is the meaning of ‘phantom boarder’ syndrome, and what is it a feature of?

A

delusion where the patient believes that their house is inhabitated by unwelcome guests

feature of late onset schizophrenia

17
Q

what are some practice points we need to consider if we had to prescribe psychotropic medications for affective disorders in geriatric patients?

A
  • have all the non-pharmacological approaches/measures been exhausted?
  • what other drugs is this patient on that may potentially interfere with this medication?
  • what is the renal function of this patient?
  • what is the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time- start low go slow
  • organise medication review in at most 3 months
18
Q

why might it be difficult to distinguish thought disorder in psychogeriatric patients?

A

geriatric patients may have cognitive impairment which may affect communication/language abilities. The only way we assess thought disorder is through speech and language.

19
Q

what is the number one cause of psychosis in late life?

A

dementia

20
Q

what are some characteristics of late onset schizophrenia?

A

premorbid long history of suspiciousness/isolation/difficulties in relationships

delusions are usually persecutory; partition delusions; phantom boarder syndrome

deafness and visual impairment is often associated

very poor insight

females >males

Hallucinations in more than one modality (e.g. olfactory/somatic)
–> greater than 45 yrs old

21
Q

what does partition delusions?

A

patients have a delusion that other people are trying into get into their house

22
Q

how might we distinguish late onset schizophrenia or early onset schizophrenia?

A

Usually late onset schizophrenia patients do NOT present with thought disorder, and hence if you have a geriatric patient with thought disorder you should be thinking of early onset schizophrenia that has not been diagnosed.

Think late onset schizophrenia if there are partition delusions

23
Q

can we distinguish between very late onset schizophrenia and dementia associated with psychosis?

A

not really…. It is really hard to tell the difference

24
Q

how might we treat late onset schizophrenia?

A

psychotic medications are not that great in elderly patients due to SE and reduced efficacy, drug interactions etc

So really mainstay treatment is establishing a therapeutic relationship with them and risk assessment and risk management!! –> refer for psychogeriatric assessment

the threshold for admitted patients with late onset schizophrenia is quite high.

optimise other medical comorbidities, provide family/carer support, discuss legal issues e.g. EPOA and disability support

Environmental modifications, address visual/hearing impairments

25
Q

what anti-psychotics can we use in BPSD?

A

risperidone/olanzapine first line

quetiapine is another option

26
Q

what are some complications of old age schizophrenia?

A
increased risk of tardive dyskinesia
risk of isolation, poverty, self neglect
increased risk of suicide
poor management of medical comorbidities
polypharmacy
harm to others
increased risk of substance abuse