Exam 1 Material Flashcards
(154 cards)
Define aging.
The time-sequential deterioration that occurs in most living beings, including weakness, increased susceptibility to disease and adverse environmental conditions, loss of mobility and agility, and age-related physiological changes.
Distinguish life expectancy from life span.
- Life expectancy: what proportion of the possible maximum age a person may live.
- Life span: a biological limit to how many years a species can expect to survive.
Distinguish chronological aging from gerontological aging.
- Chronological aging: the number of years a person has lived.
- Gerontological age: calculated on the basis of the risk of dying, the so called force of mortality.
Understand the 2 principal factors that determine functional performance in an older adult.
1: the rate of deterioration
2: the level of performance needed
Be familiar with common changes with aging, and the clinical implications of those changes.
see table 1-1
Name to what extent genetics (or heritability) affect life span versus environmental factors.
Heritability of life span accounts for =/< 35% of its variance, whereas environmental factors account for >65% of the variance.
Explain aging from an evolution theory point of view.
This theory suggests that the design of current organisms resulted from an incrementally accumulative evolutionary process. From this POV, it is impossible for an organism to evolve in a way that reduces its life span, unless the evolution simultaneously improves the organism’s ability to produce adult descendents.
Give a basic definition of damage theories on aging.
These theories suggest that aging is a result of wearing out caused by damage to fundamental life processes that occur in accumulative microscopic increments such as damage to chromosomes, accumulation of poisonous by product, nuclear radiation, or the forces of entropy.
Describe the effect on life span caused by calorie restriction in animals.
- Caloric restriction lowers levels of oxidative stress and damage and extends the maximum life span of rodents.
- Caloric restriction, or nutritionally balanced semistarvation, when applied to mammals has been noted to increase life span as much as 50%.
Discuss the theory of aging caused by telomere shortening.
With each cell division, a portion of the terminal end of chromosomes (the telomere) is not replicated and therefore shortens. It is proposed that telomere shortening is the clock that results in the shift to a senescent patten of gene expression and ultimately cell senescence.
Name the functions of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).
1) senses cellular nutrient levels
2) and in turn, regulates rates of protein synthesis and energy utilization
List 5 anticipated declines with aging.
1) cardiovascular function
2) strength
3) brain mass
4) bone mass
5) muscle mass
Name 6 factors that have been shown to increase survival and functional independence in older adults.
1) normal renal function
2) good vision
3) avoiding afternoon naps
4) volunteer or compensated work
5) physical activity
6) instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)
Describe diet and physical activity factors shown to have physical and mental health benefits in older adults.
- Diet: low in saturated fats and high in fruits and vegetables
- Physical activity: regular, at least 30 minutes daily
Identify psychosocial changes that often cause physical or functional loss.
Transitions associated with aging are commonly noted around retirement, loss of a spouse or significant other, pet, home, car and ability to drive, as well as the loss of sensory function (hearing and vision), or ambulatory ability or capacity.
Describe the older adult’s presentation of an illness and their reaction to stress or illness compared to a younger adult.
- reduced response to stress, including the stress of the disease
- symptom intensity may be dampened by the aged body’s decreased responsiveness
- “dampened primary sound in the presence of background noise”
Identify examples of the 14 I’s common to geriatric patients.
1) immobility 8) isolation/depression
2) instability 9) inanition/malnutrition
3) incontinence 10) impecunity
4) intellectual impairment 11) iatrogenesis
5) infection 12) insomnia
6) impairment of vision and hearing 13) immune deficiency
7) irritable colon 14) impotence
Know how to use the MNA and DETERMINE checklists.
see checklists
Identify characteristics indicative of malnutrition for each tool.
- DETERMINE: (score of 3-5 moderate risk, 6+ high nutritional risk) disease, eating poorly, tooth loss/mouth pain, economic hardship, reduced social contact, multiple medicines, involuntary weight loss/gain, needs assistance in self care, elder years above 80
- MNA: (score of 0-7) food intake declined over past 3 months, weight loss during the last 3 months, mobility, suffered psychological stress or acute disease in the past 3 month, neuropsychological problems, BMI
Take a calf circumference.
- the subject should be sitting with the left leg hanging loosely or standing with their weight evenly distributed on both feet.
- Ask the patient to roll up their trouser leg to uncover the calf.
- Wrap the tape around the calf at the widest part and note the measurement.
- Take additional measurements above and below the point to ensure that the first measurement was the largest.
- An accurate measurement can only be obtained if the tape is at a right angle to the length of the calf.
Take a demi-span measurement.
- Locate and mark the midpoint of the sternal notch with the pen,
- Ask the patient to place the left arm in a horizontal position.
- Check that the patient’s arm is horizontal and in line with shoulders.
- Using the tape measure, measure distance from mark on the midline at the sternal notch to the web between the middle and ring fingers.
- Check that the arm is flat and wrist is straight.
- Take reading in cm.
Acknowledge that older adults usually present with multiple medical problems.
- Have different, often more complicated health care problems, such as multiple disorders, which may require the use of many drugs.
- On average, elderly patients have 6 diagnosable disorders
Identify the amount of muscle mass that can be lost per day of bed rest.
5 to 6% of muscle mass and strength each day (causing sarcopenia)
Name the common first sign of an underlying physical disorder in the older adult.
Mental or emotional