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21 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Is pain a more or less reliable indicator of disease in the elderly?
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Less; in the elderly, pain may be absent or atypical even in the presence of signficant disease.
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True or False:
In the confused elderly, restlessness and agitation may be the only sign of discomfort. |
True
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What signs/symptoms might an elderly person who experiences an MI encounter?
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Syncope, new onset arrhythmia, or confusion.
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How might a bowel obstruction present in an elderly patient?
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Little or no pain, constipation, and/or fecal impactment.
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Can cystitis present with sepsis in an elderly patient?
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Yes.
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An elderly patient comes to you with left arm weakness. History is significant for a fall a few days ago. What might you expect?
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Fracture.
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Can shortness of breath at rest be normal and benign?
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No. Shortness of breath at rest is pathologic.
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If an elderly patient has an increase of respiratory rate and just "doesn't feel well," what is important to look for?
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Pneumonia, MI, CHF, COPD exacerbation, PE, impending septic shock, and anemia.
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Before giving a patient diuretics for edema, what should you rule out first?
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Cardiac, renal, and respiratory disease.
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What should you watch for when treating a patient with diuretics?
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Hypotension and falls.
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If the normal pattern of elimination with an elderly patient changes, with constipation, diarrhea, or alternating, what conditions should be considered?
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Cancer, fecal impaction with overflow incontinence, thyroid disease, pernicious anemia, depression, and medications.
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What are some common medications might that cause a change in bowel movements?
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Laxatives, iron, antibiotics, narcotics, and antacids.
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What is the most common problem in the elderly?
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Dizziness.
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What ALWAYS needs to be ruled out when a patient presents with dizziness?
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Bleeding.
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Can an elderly patient be septic but have no fever?
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Yes.
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True or False:
Little or no temperature response to significant infection in an elderly patient means a good prognosis. |
False: no temperature response usually holds a very bad prognosis for the patient.
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Because of an inappropriate WBC response in the elderly, you should always keep a high index of suspicion for what?
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Sepsis
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With age, does hemoglobin increase or decrease? Can physiology alone cause this change?
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Decrease; no, always look for a pathology.
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What might cause low hemoglobin in an elderly patient?
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BOB, chronic disease, chronic renal failure, alcoholism, and medications (ASA, NSAIDS).
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True or False:
For an elderly patient, most of his/her symptoms can be unified under one diagnosis. |
False: this adage cannot be applied to the elderly.
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Due to diminished physiological reserve and weakened compensatory mechanisms, do diseases typically present at an earlier or later stage of disease in elders?
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Earlier.
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