-
What is geriatrics?
Assessment and treatment of disease in some 65yo+.
-
What is atherosclerosis?
Buildup of fatty plaque on the arteries.
-
What is arteriosclerosis?
Stiffening of the vessel walls. Contributes to systemic hypertension. Widening of pulse pressure, decreased coronary perfusion, changes in cardiac ejection fraction.
-
What is glaucoma?
Increase in intraocular pressure severe enough to damage the optic nerve, potentially losing peripheral and central vision.
-
What is presbycusis?
Progressive hearing loss, especially in high frequencies.
-
What is proprioception?
Sense of body position becomes impaired with age. Increases risk of falling.
-
Renal system changes?
Reduction in functioning nephron units, changes in size and weight of the kidney. Renal blood flow decreases up to 50% as a person ages.
-
Endocrine changes?
26.9 65yo+ have diabetes and 50% are prediabetic. Metabolism of carbs becomes more difficult. Other medications may affect glucose metabolism.
-
Immunologic system?
Elderly can't temperature regulate as well, os a fever may not be present if they have an infection.
-
Assessing geriatric - GEMS
General impression -
- G Geriatric Patient
- Present atypically
- Deserve respect
- Experience normal changes with age
- E Environmental Assessment
- Condition of the home
- Hazardous conditions - poor wiring, rotted floors, unventilated gas heaters, broken window, clutter
- Smoke detectors
- Too hot or too cold
- Odor of feces/urine
- Liquor bottles
- Telephone access
- Adequate care facility
- M Medical Assessment
- Complex issues - trauma and medical
- Medical history important
- Out of date medications
- Primary assessment
- Reassessment
- S Social Assessment
- Assess daily activities
- Delays in obtaining medication, help?
- Able to feed themselves?
- Social network
-
Hypovolemia?
Consider it if the systolic is below 120.
-
What is DVT?
Deep vein thrombosis. Common cause of pulmonary embolus in which an embolus may become displaced from a larger vein (usually in the leg).
-
Thoracic Aortic Disruption
Occurs when the inside wall of the artery becomes torn and allows blood to collect between the arterial wall layers. AAA - abdominal aortic aneurysm. Do a blood pressure reading on both arms with patients with chest pain. If there is a 15+mmHg difference, then might be a thoracic dissection.
-
What is delirium?
Symptom, not a disease. Temporary state. Hallucinations, disorientation, bizarre behavior.
-
What is dementia?
Produces irreversible brain failure. Short term memory loss, jargon aphasia, confusion. Alzheimer is a type of dementia, along with multi-intact or vascular dementia. Two or more brain functions are impaired.
-
What is Parkinson's disease?
- Two or more -
- Resting tremor
- Bradykinesia - slow moving
- rigidity or stiffness of the trunk
- poor balance
Dyskinesia - involuntary movements or tremors affecting one or both sides of the body.
-
What is herpes zoster?
Caused by the reactivation of the varicella virus on the nerve roots. Cluster of tiny blisters on the affected area.
-
Cellulitis?
Acute inflammation in the skin caused by bacterial infection.
-
Pressure ulcers
Occurr when pressure is applied to body tissue resulting in lack of perfusion and ultimately necrosis.
-
Osteoporosis?
Decrease in bone mass leading to reduction in bone strength and greater susceptibility of fracture.
-
Osteoarthritis?
Progressive disease of the joints that destroys the cartilage, promotes the formation of bone spurs in joints, and leads to joint stiffness.
-
Rheumatoid arthritis?
Long term auto-immune disorder that is classified by inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissue.
-
Aortic stenosis -
When the aortic valve does not open fully, decreasing blood flow from the heart.
-
What is spondylosis?
Degenerative condition resulting in decreased mobility of vertebral joint and compression of neural elements.
-
Meniere disease -
Inner ear disorder endolymphatic rupture creates pressure on the cochlear duct, damage to organ of Corti and semicircular canal. Vertigo, tinnitus, sensor-neuronal hearing loss.
|
|