MEDI7212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 82: Hypovolemia, Antihypertensive Drug, Cardiac Output
Document Summary
Fear of falling can affect an elderly"s functional status and overall quality of life: complications. Injuries - soft tissue, fractures, hip, femur, humerus, wrist, ribs. Subdural hematoma: hospitalisation - complication of immobilization, risk of iatrogenic illness, hospital acquired infections, disability - impaired mobility from physical injury or from fear, loss of self-confidence. Ageing: age-related factors contribute to instability and falls (usually multifactorial) Slower righting reflexes: decreased proprioception, decreased muscle tone, orthostatic hypotension, postprandial hypotension. Feet not picked up as high: men develop flexed posture and wide-based, short-stepped gait, women develop narrow-based, waddling gait. Increased prevalence of pathologic conditions causing instability: degenerative joint disease (neck, lumbosacral spine, lower extremities) Fractures of hip and femur: muscle weakness from disuse and deconditioning (via pain, Stroke with residual deficits lack of exercise: peripheral neuropathy, diseases or deformities of the feet (bunions, calluses, nail disease) Impaired hearing: other specific disease processes (eg cvd, parkinsonism) Increased prevalence of conditions causing nocturia: chf, venous insufficiency.