Changes & Common Conditions Flashcards
Integumentary System normal age-related changes
Decreased: H2O, sweat glands, elasticity.
Collagen stiffens.
Thinner basement membrane, epidermis, subQ.
Dermis atrophy & fragility.
Disorganized small vessels.
Genitourinary System normal age-related changes
Kidney: dec waste filtering, slower blood filtering as vessels harden.
Pelvic floor: musc weaken.
Bladder: inc contractions (urge), dec voided volume (less goes out, more left behind), dec bladder capacity.
Prostate enlarges & squeezes urethra (restricts emptying).
Immune System normal age-related changes
Inc systemic inflammation.
Decreased: B & T cell production, lymphocyte function, WBC count.
Macrophages slow.
Poor response to vax.
MSK System normal age-related changes
Decreased: lean musc mass (sarcopenia), size/# of type 1 & 2 fibers, # motor units, flexibility, ROM, vertebral height, bone density.
Increased: IMAT, cocontraction of agonist & antagonist (stiffness).
Cardiopulm System normal age-related changes
Decreased: vital capacity, VO2max, HRmax, # pacemaker cells.
Increased: vessel stiffness.
Neuro System (5 senses) normal age-related changes
Vision: decreased acuity, depth perception, rods/cones, & pupil size.
Smell: decreased odor perception, olfactory cells.
Taste: decreased taste buds, saliva.
Touch: degeneration of pacinian & meissners, decreased peripheral sensation & hot/cold discrimination.
Hearing: hair cell dysfunction (vestib), tympanic membrane sclerosis (hearing).
Neurological normal age-related changes
Decreased brain size/weight.
Decreased blood flow to brain.
Neuron atrophy (in brain & spinal cord).
Slow N conduction (reduced sensation, reflexes, rxn time).
Vestibular: decreased hair cells, less effective VOR, increased otoliths.
Pain normal age-related changes
Reduced pain sensitivity for lower pain intensities (esp heat and pain affecting head).
Less light touch sesnsation d/t thin skin.
Gait normal age-related changes
Decreased: speed, stride/step length.
Increased: DL stance time, variability in gait pattern.
When is Shingles contagious?
If open wound, liquid coming out.
ONLY contagious to those who are not vax or never had virus (no antibodies).
Not contagious once it crusts over.
What is Xerosis?
excessive drying of the skin.
Becomes itchy, burning, feels tight.
Can crack/open –> infections.
What is Cellulitis?
rapidly spreading infection (dermis & SubQ).
Common when skin is already broken & edema present.
VERY red skin - not just a little redness, “angry red”
Why are skin conditions common in DM?
Ulcers, neuropathy.
Slower wound healing ability, slower metab function (plus additional slowing as a result of age).
Urinary Incontinence types: Stress
Occurs when some sort of stressor to the pelvic floor (sneezing, lifting, Valsalva, etc.)
Urinary Incontinence types: Urge
Bladder muscle contracts more frequently - more freq need to go.
Often triggered by an event (e.g. walking in the door).
Urinary Incontinence types: Mixed
Stress + urge
Urinary Incontinence types: Double
Fecal + urinary
Urinary Incontinence types: Functional
Physical limitation prevents getting to the bathroom (walker can’t fit thru door, can’t get pants unbuttoned in time, etc)
What is urinary retention?
> 100cc left behind after going
Risk of UTI
Constipation: often a result of _____ and often leads to ____
Medication side effect.
Stress incontinence (straining or full bowel pushes on bladder).