Geriatric Medicine

Age and obesity are two of the most prominent risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and in combination that risk increases enormously. The National Obesity Forum (NoF) was established by medical practitioners in May 2000 to…

Newer, less invasive techniques provide a wider option for the treatment of severe valvular heart disease in high risk patients. Older patients are likely to benefit from these techniques, as surgical risk increases with age.

Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune disease that causes blistering of the skin and is most commonly seen in older patients. It is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and the incidence is increasing. Few studies of effective and…

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 was fully implemented in England and Wales on 1 October 2007. A further important change to this Act was introduced in the new Mental Health Act 2007, providing safeguards against deprivation of liberty for…

Actinic keratoses are a common problem in general practice and are becoming even more so with the ageing population. These lesions can be treated in the surgery with topical fluorouracil. Concordance with treatment is improved if the…

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of raised liver enzymes in the developed world. It is a spectrum of disease, ranging from benign simple fatty liver disease(steatosis) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.…

Most of us will have to face the death of a person close to us, especially as we age. The process of adjusting to that loss is not a form of mental disorder in itself but factors can predispose to the development of abnormal grief.

The number of diabetics in the UK is growing exponentially and is expected to rise to 2.67 million people by the year 2030.1 However,the mortality rate associated with the macrovascular complications of diabetes is decreasing along with a…

The term Mild Cognitive Impairment is being used universally to represent the clinical condition between normal ageing and dementia in which individuals experience cognitive problems to a greater extent than one would expect for age, yet…

The MS Society supports health and social care professionals to develop services for people affected by multiple sclerosis (MS)based on quality standards and evidence of effectiveness. There is real hope of developing much more effective…

The risk of developing dementia rises exponentially with age and about a third of people will die with dementia. Palliative care is appropriate for many patients. Cognitive function may alter patients' perception of pain and communication…

Neuropathic pain can arise from injury to the nervous system and can involve spontaneous dysthaesias, allodynia, or hyperaesthesia. An estimated 8% of the population are thought to live with neuropathic pain. Several types of drugs can be…

Amyloidosis is a term used to describe a group of disorders consisting of abnormalities in and the accumulation of amyloid protein. This protein cannot be degraded and so collects in the tissues, interrupting both their structure and…

Late onset schizophrenia presents differently from early onset schizophrenia and medication is complex. Treatment should be reviewed and guidelines should be followed. Awareness of  recent changes to legislation and its implications for…

There are multiple treatment options for patients with low-risk prostate cancer: active surveillance, surgery, external beam radiotherapy and low-dose rate brachytherapy.