Aging Flashcards
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) consists of…
Physical health. Mental health Functional status Social functioning Environment
Benefits of CGA
Decreased nursing facility admission Decreased medication use Decreased mortality Decreased annual medical care costs Increase diagnostic accuracy Improved independence
marijuana withdrawal syndrome sx
Headaches Chills Irritability Anxiety Depression Shakiness Fever
Factors to look out for in the elderly
Social factors- Living arrangements
Nutrition- vulnerable to inadequate nutrition (loneliness, depression,medical disorders
Environmental- Identify SAFETY RISKS (home visit) – lighting, loose mats, kitchen storage
Sleep- spend less time in deep sleep
transition between sleep and waking up is often abrupt
Factors to look out for in the elderly cont
vision- Glare from lights at night- cataract
Eye pain– glaucoma, temporal arteritis
hearing- acoustic neuroma, wax,Paget’s disease,
GIT- hypothyroidism, dehydration,hypokalemia
Be Wary of Abuse and Neglect- Dominates interview, won’t leave, won’t let patient talk
Preparing for death- Instructions given by patients for their future treatment should they become incompetent to consent to, or refuse, such treatment
Laboratory tests done in Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
Serum cholesterol
Blood glucose – glucose intolerance increases with aging
Heamoglobin
Vitamin b12-Rx IMI (beware of folate supplementation before correcting b12)
Thyroid function tests
In the 6 min walking test
One-time measure of functional status
Use it to guide recommendations for exercises,
Physical Therapy, adaptive devices for impairments,
driving.
Get up and go test
only valid for patients not using an assisted device
Get up and walk 3m, and return to chair
Preventive Interventions for healthy aging
Screening
Immunizations
counseling
Preventative measures towards healthy aging
Longer life
Reduced disability
Improved mental health
Lower health care costs
What would you screen for in elderly patients
Alcohol misuse Blood pressure Breast Cervical Colorectal Depression Osteoporosis
Malignancy screening
Pap smear
Mammography
For colorectal cancer, either colonoscopy every 10
years, an annual fecal occult blood test, or
sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
immunizations to be done in the elderly
influenza
pneumoccocal
zoster
theories of aging
programmed change theories- Developmental-genetic theories or telomore shortening
stochastic theories- Somatic Mutation and
Mitochondrial/Oxidation Theories
Stochastic theories
Damage to vital cell molecules from an accumulation of random events or from environmental agents or influences
skin changes in elderyly
Reduction in pappillary body in menopause, vascular loops decrease, collagen begins to interlace
Skin becomes drier, more wrinkled, stores more lipofuscin (yellow pigment)
Neural degeneration
Deposits of lipofuscin (oxidised lipids)
Retraction of dendrites – neurons die
Neurofibrillary tangles – twisted strands of insoluble TAU proteins
Fluid fills the spaces
Alzheimer’s disease
– increased stimulus-response time, – mild confusion – decrease in language skills – also learning ability and abstract thinking and reasonable judgement decrease
Genetics of inherited 3-5% of Alzheimers
Mutations in gene 21 (Downs’)- Codes for APP (amyloid precursor protein)
Mutations in genes 14 and 1- Code for presenilin 1&2
what does Estrogen increases in the brain
– choline acetyl transferase
– cholinergic neuron survival
– axonal sprouting
– dendrite spine formation
Endocrine disorders as a cause of mental illness in the aged
– Hyper/ Hypothyroidism - depression
– Addison’s - delirium
– Pheochromocytoma – panic attacks
– Diabetes mellitus – cognitive impairment and depression
– Hyperprolactinaemia – decreased libido and impotence
presbyopia
long-sightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age
presbyacusis
age related hearing loss
Progressive loss of hair cells on basilar membrane and loss of elasticity of tympanic and basilar membranes leads to (sometimes pronounced) hearing loss
Circulatory and Respiratory changes in old age
Circ- Systolic and diastolic blood pressure rise with age
Diminished response to beta-adrenergic stimulation
Diminished baroreceptor sensitivity
Diminished SA node automaticity
Resp- Diminished lung elasticity
Increased chest wall stiffness