Knowledge Assessment – EMD101 – Using the Elder Mistreatment Brief Screen

You are assessing a 75 yo woman who comes in with nausea and weight loss. She has a past medical history of coronary artery disease on ASA, hypertension on amlodipine, diabetes on metformin, hypothyroid on levothyroxine, chronic back pain on celecoxib and gastro-intestinal reflux disease on pantoprazole. She says that has been “feeling unwell” for “a few days” and that it “feels like my previous heart attack”. Her vitals are: BP 156/98, HR 90, O2 98% on room air and T37,2. We discussed in this module about reasons why older adults present atypically, which reasons are demonstrated in this case? Select all that apply

What anatomic and physiologic changes can lead to misguiding information on physical exams in an older person? Select all that apply

What anatomic and physiologic changes can lead to misguiding laboratory values on evaluation of the unwell older patient? Select all that apply

According to the new Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines and recommendations on UTI, which ONE of those patients should get antimicrobial therapy against urinary sources?

True or false: Older patients often present later to the Emergency Department than younger patients, and thus present sicker from simple illnesses that would normally not present this way. However, they don’t always appear sicker or unstable on first assessment.