The Aging Body (A&P)
The natural stiffening and narrowing of blood vessels that leads to an increased resting blood pressure in the elderly.
What is arteriosclerosis?
A sudden-onset, temporary state of altered mental status that is highly common in elderly patients suffering from a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
What is delirium?
The leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal traumatic injuries in older adults.
What are falls?
Because older adults often lose the ability to hear high-frequency sounds, you should do this instead of shouting.
What is lower the pitch of your voice / speak clearly while facing them?
The term for a patient taking multiple medications simultaneously, drastically increasing the risk of adverse drug interactions.
What is polypharmacy?
Due to a decrease in elastin and collagen, this organ system becomes fragile and is highly susceptible to tearing.
What is the integumentary system (the skin)?
A chronic, progressive, and irreversible decline in cognitive function and memory, with Alzheimer's being the most common form.
What is dementia?
A systemic condition causing loss of bone density, making fractures incredibly likely even with a very low mechanism of injury.
What is osteoporosis?
When assessing an elderly patient's mental status, it is critical to ask this person if the patient's current behavior matches their baseline.
Who is a family member or primary caregiver?
Patients prescribed Warfarin, Plavix, or Eliquis are at an extremely high risk for this during a traumatic event.
What is severe bleeding (or hemorrhagic shock)?
A decrease in the functional volume of this respiratory structure reduces an elderly patient's vital capacity and makes them prone to hypoxia.
What are the alveoli?
A viral infection caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, presenting as a highly painful, blistering rash along a specific nerve pathway.
What is shingles (Herpes Zoster)?
Because their brains shrink, stretching the bridging veins, elderly patients are at a much higher risk for this specific type of slow-bleeding intracranial hemorrhage.
What is a subdural hematoma?
"Silent" myocardial infarctions are common in the elderly; instead of crushing chest pain, their primary complaint is often weakness or this respiratory symptom.
What is shortness of breath (dyspnea)?
A patient who takes a daily diuretic (like Lasix) is intentionally shedding fluid to treat heart failure, but it puts them at high risk for this metabolic emergency.
What is dehydration (or hypovolemia)?
The physical shrinkage of the brain inside the skull as a person ages.
What is cerebral atrophy?
The "S" in the GEMS diamond—an acronym used to remind EMTs of the unique needs of older adults.
What is Social Assessment?
An exaggerated, forward-curving of the upper spine that requires you to place extensive padding in the voids during spinal immobilization.
What is kyphosis?
An elderly patient in compensated shock may fail to show a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) if they are prescribed this specific class of cardiac medications.
What are beta-blockers?
Accidental, slow-building drug toxicity is common in geriatrics due to a decrease in the filtration and metabolic functions of these two organs.
What are the liver and kidneys?
A decrease in this muscular action in the GI tract makes elderly patients highly susceptible to severe constipation and bowel obstructions.
What is peristalsis?
An acute spasm of the blood vessels in the bowel, or a blood clot blocking blood flow to the gut, which can be fatal in the elderly.
What is mesenteric ischemia?
The specific type of hip fracture most common in the elderly, where the leg will often present shortened and externally rotated.
What is a proximal femur fracture?
Even in the presence of severe sepsis or pneumonia, an elderly patient may fail to develop this common objective sign of infection due to impaired thermoregulation.
What is a fever?
Because liver and kidney function decline with age, the body cannot filter drugs as quickly, making older adults highly susceptible to this medication-related problem.
What is toxicity (accidental overdose)?