Clinics in geriatric medicine
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Home hospice care, which helps patients with terminal illnesses remain at home, is becoming more common and accepted in the United States. The Medicare hospice benefit reimburses hospices for the care of elderly patients. ⋯ Palliative care rather than the extension of life is emphasized. Hospice techniques for controlling symptoms such as pain, nausea, and vomiting are discussed in this article.
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Elder abuse encompasses physical, psychological, and financial abuse and also includes the violation of an individual's rights, or social abuse. Detection of elder abuse is often obstructed by the denial or shame of the abused older adult and the denial or improper assessment by health care professionals. The ethical struggle professionals face when they suspect abuse may also impede assessment or intervention. ⋯ The psychological history of the patient and caregiver is also important. Reporting laws exist in all states, and health care practitioners must become familiar with the laws in their states. Awareness of elder abuse by professionals working in home care is essential, because the failure to detect abuse can interfere with interventions and in some cases lead to death.
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Strokes are the most common cause of epilepsy in the elderly. Seizures after an acute stroke have been estimated to occur in 5% to 10% of cases. A distinction between early and late seizures should be made. ⋯ Prophylactic treatment with antiepileptic drugs is probably not indicated in most types of strokes, except for subarachnoid hemorrhage after a ruptured intracranial aneurysm. When early seizures develop, treatment is indicated but may not be necessary for a prolonged period of time. If late seizures develop, chronic anticonvulsant therapy is recommended.
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The significance, management and prognosis of several disorders affecting either vision or ocular motility are discussed. Transient and persistent visual loss are common problems in the elderly. ⋯ The various pathologic conditions that can affect the ocular motor nerves in the cavernous sinus are mentioned. The problem of differentiating benign ischemic lesions causing a third nerve palsy from ominous compressive palsies due to aneurysms is addressed, with emphasis on the clues provided by the pupil.
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Normal physiologic changes of aging increase the likelihood of renal-electrolyte disorders in the elderly surgical patient. The most important of these changes are a decrease in the GFR, decreased urinary concentrating ability, and narrowed limits for the excretion of water, sodium, potassium, and acid. Because of the decrease in GFR, the elderly surgical patient is at increased risk for virtually every cause of acute renal failure, an outcome associated with a mortality of greater than 50%. ⋯ The most important principles of prevention in the elderly surgical patient are to maintain normal intravascular volume and avoid hypovolemia. Meticulous attention must be paid to salt and water balance and to drug dosing. Should perioperative renal insufficiency occur, evaluation and management in the elderly patient are similar to usual practices in a younger individual.