Geriatric Medicine

Dementia is defined as a progressive decline in cognitive function, with memory being especially affected. It is associated with a progressive decrease in the patient's intellect accompanied by reduced emotional control and a deterioration…

Transient ischaemic attack affects approximately 35 people per 100,000 of the population per year and is associated with a high risk of stroke in the first month of the event and up to a year aferwards. There is now considerable debate…

As healthcare practitioners, we should all quite rightly remain focused on the effective delivery of care. This includes concentrating on the small proprtion of people who consume a relatively high proprotion of healthcare, but this should…

Influenza is a common respiratory disease. It is spread by the respiratory route only by droplet spread and affects people of all ages. Influenza is highly infectious with a transmission rate of 20€“90%. Even when an epidemic is not present…

There is a high prevalence of anaemia in the elderly population. Anaemia signifies an underlying disease and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It can be underdiagnosed in this age group as the symptoms of anaemia can be…

NICE was heavily criticised when it ruled that patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had failed on one TNF- inhibitor could not use an alternative TNF- inhibitor. However in August 2010, NICE published guidelines that reversed this…

Pacemaker therapy has become an important therapeutic option for patients with heart rhythm conditions worldwide. The number of elderly patients needing pacemakers is on the increase due to an ageing population worldwide. Pacemaker syndrome…

NICE was established by the former Health Minister, Frank Dobson in 1999. Its website quotes its remit as €œan independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill…

The coalition Government's announcement last year that it planned to radically change the NHS came as a major surprise to both healthcare professionals and the general public as neither the Conservatives nor the Liberal Democrats had…

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent heart valve disease in developed countries and prevalence sharply increases with age. Aortic valve replacement is the reference treatment for severe symptomatic AS. However decision making regarding…

A quarter of all new patients diagnosed with coeliac disease are in their seventh decade or older. Coeliac disease presents with a wide range of symptoms. It is under diagnosed, especially in the elderly who may present with only iron…

The NHS Health Check programme aims to help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. Everyone between the ages of 40 and 74 years, who has not already been diagnosed with one of these conditions, will be invited (once…

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising in the UK. The number of people with diabetes recorded on practice diabetes registers for the Quality and Outcomes framework (QoF) payments rose from 3.4% in 2004/5 to 3.9% in 2007/8.1 Figures…

Palliative care aims to improve the outcome of patients, especially in life threatening conditions. This is usually provided through prevention and relieving of suffering by a holistic approach; considering the physical, psychosocial and…

The law concerning advance decisions, otherwise known as €œLiving Wills€, has been formalisedby the Mental Capacity Act. These documents can be used by patients to refuse treatment andcan be legally binding on clinicians. This article…