April 5th 2024
More than 1 in 10 older adults were misdiagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia and nearly all were treated with a full course of antibiotics, a new study found.
Skin Disorders in Older Adults: Vascular, Lymphatic, and Purpuric Dermatitides, Part 1
June 15th 2009All elements of the skin are affected by age. In this 2-part article, I will discuss how the blood vessels, the lymphatics, and the ground substance- which surrounds these vessels-respond to age, and I will show how the aging elements of the vasculature can engender a variety of pathological cutaneous conditions.
Elderly Adults With Mild Memory Impairment Benefit From Cognitive Training
June 10th 2009A research team led by Frederick Unverzagt, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis, found that older adults with pre-existing mild memory impairment benefit from cognitive training that does not rely on memorization as much as those with normal memory function.
Antipsychotics in the Elderly: A Double-Edged Sword
May 11th 2009I read with interest Dr Gregory Rutecki’s Top Papers Of The Month feature, “Treat Dementia in Elderly Patients With Caution” (CONSULTANT, January 2009, page 60). Elderly patients who live at home and those in long-term–care facilities often pose management challenges, whether they have evident Alzheimer disease or other diagnoses. While I am not in favor of bad medicine, consideration should be given to treating agitated, violent, and apparently angry and hostile persons with what works. I do not favor quieting noisy patients with drugs.
Orthostatic Hypotension Increases the Risk of Alzheimer Disease
May 2nd 2009Alzheimer disease (AD) is more than twice as likely to develop in elderly persons with orthostatic hypotension (OH) as in those without OH, according to a new study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.
An Old Man With a Floppy Bottom
May 2nd 2009An 88-year-old man who had left hip repair after a fracture a few months earlier is now admitted to behavioral hospital because of implacable refusal to take medications, and because of poor food intake and ongoing refusal of rehabilitation. Ambulated with a walker before fracture but now barely ventures out of wheelchair even with rolling walker and therapist guidance.
Large Mayo Clinic Study Finds Sleep Disorders Common in the Elderly
April 29th 2009Sleep disorders are common in persons older than 70 years, according to a large community-based study of age-related diseases and cognitive functioning. The most common disorder, sleep-related leg cramps, occurred in 32% of the study participants, according to investigator Jennifer Molano, MD, a behavioral neurology fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Something Wrong on the Face of an Old Man
April 1st 2009A 76-year-old man is seen because of redness below the right eye. Has long-standing “lazy eye” on the left, which is chronically deviated outward. Has lived in nursing home for some years due to self-care deficit from memory loss. No recent eye surgery, conjunctivitis, sinus infection, or periocular trauma.
Aged Woman With Sudden Striking and Unfamiliar Oral Lesion
February 1st 2009An 89-year-old woman is seen because of a white area on the tongue. She has been hospitalized on a behavioral health unit for 2 weeks; 1 day ago, enoxaparin was begun for a new left leg deep venous thrombosis. Recent antibiotic therapy for a urinary tract infection; candidal vulvitis followed and was treated with topical clotrimazole. Has penicillin allergy.
Treat Dementia in Elderly Patients With Caution
January 2nd 2009The population of elderly nursing home residents who have dementia has been steadily increasing. It is not unusual to be called early in these patients’ course, day or night, and be asked to prescribe something for agitation-triggered by strange new surroundings and people. Nearly 1 in 5 new nursing home residents receives an antipsychotic drug within 100 days of arrival.1 Does this “typical” practice have a downside?
Polypharmacy in Elderly Patients: Practical Tips to Avoid Adverse Effects and Interactions
November 1st 2007An 81-year-old woman with a history of moderate Alzheimer dementia, depression, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus was accompanied to the office by her son for a routine follow-up appointment.
Sudden Loss of Consciousness in an Elderly Woman
October 1st 2007A comatose 82-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department. Her husband reports that after dinner she began to have difficulty in speaking, lost consciousness, and fell to the floor. He tried to rouse her, but was unsuccessful and called for an ambulance.
Keratoacanthoma Resembling Squamous Cell Carcinoma
October 1st 2007An 89-year-old man reported that this lesion began developing on his left forearm 11 days earlier. It is a keratoacanthoma, a rapidly growing but benign neoplasm that occurs predominantly on the extensor surfaces of the hands and forearms of white men over age 50.
No 'Slippery Slope' Found With Physician-Assisted Suicide
September 27th 2007SALT LAKE CITY -- Forecasts that physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia would be practiced disproportionately on vulnerable groups, such as the poor, the elderly, and women, did not prove accurate, according to researchers here.
Systemic Ramifications of Ocular Findings
September 1st 2007Common eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataract, and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) (Figure) can have significant systemic ramifications. Recent studies have found that these eye diseases may herald the onset of various types of physical and mental impairment, especially in elderly persons.
Prescribing for Elderly Patients: Beware of Pitfalls
August 1st 2007Drugs may confer serious risks along with substantial therapeutic benefits. The aging of the population and the trend toward increased outpatient drug use-and hence the likely rise in adverse events-underscore the need for ongoing surveillance of outpatient drug safety.
Grand Jury Refuses to Indict New Orleans Doctor Charged with Killing Katrina-Stranded Patients
July 25th 2007NEW ORLEANS -- Almost two years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged this city, a grand jury here refused to indict Anna M. Pou, M.D., in the deaths of four elderly patients at Memorial Medical Center.