Geriatric Medicine

Anniversary article.

Carotid endarterectomy is the most effective strategy to prevent ischaemic strokes in patientswith haemodynamically significant symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This article reviews thecurrent status of carotid endarterectomy in…

Depression in older people differs from younger adults in causation, symptom profile and response to treatment. The efficacy of various treatment approaches vary considerably. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a novel treatment,…

Cancer is not synonymous with pain; however, pain is a very common and debilitating symptom. Cancer is primarily a disease of older people, who will frequently rely heavily on general practitioners and care of the elderly physicians.…

Hypertension remains widely prevalent and a significant determinant of cardiovascular risk in the elderly population. Several large controlled trials have shown the benefits of treating hypertension in the elderly, including octogenarians.…

In the UK, hypertension affects around 20% of the adult population and is particularly prevalent in the elderly population. With new clinical guidance from NICE due to be published this year, this article looks at the landmark HYVET trial…

Delirium is a common disorder in the elderly, particularly those with previous cognitive impairment, and is associated with adverse outcomes. Early recognition and adequate management is essential but prevention is a highly effective…

It has been five years since NICE published its guidance for Parkinson's disease. There have been several new developments since the publication of this guidance, including new drugs, new formulations and some controversial changes in…

The prevalence of type-2 diabetes is rapidly increasing with up to a quarter of people over 60 years of age affected by it. To reduce the risk of the associated microvascular and macrovascular complications, national guidelines for…

Diabetic ketoacidosis is a presenting feature of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly. The diagnosis and management of new onset diabetes is discussed along with the challenges in an older age group. It is important that…

Optimal care of older patients is a challenge for evidence-based medicine. In the past, older patients have tended to be under represented in clinical trials and are more vulnerable to harm from their medications. As age increases, patients…

As new therapies become available for type-2 diabetes, healthcare professionals will not only have to make difficult clinical decisions but also cope with the demands from patients for these treatments.

Syncope in the elderly population is a complex and often ill understood entity. Therefore, its diagnosis and management can prove to be challenging. This challenge is of particular relevance for the general practitioner, who is frequently…

First part of a reprint of an article first published in 1971. Part two was published in February.

Cerebrovascular disease has a major impact on people's physical, social and mental well-being, and is a major financial burden on the NHS. In recent times, the management of acute stroke has changed significantly. Thrombolysis is being used…