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Malnutrition is common in hospital inpatients and 25 to 34% of all patients admitted to hospital are at risk of malnutrition. Multiple factors may contribute to a high risk of malnutrition after stroke including physical, social and psychological issues, all of which will impact on quality of life.  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest cardiac arrhythmia. Electrophysiologically, it is characterised by the loss of electrical atrial homogeneity due to autonomic, metabolic, structural, inflammatory, or ischaemic defects. Prevalence increases with age, and as the general population grows older, physicians will more frequently encounter AF. This is part two of a two-part article. 

Can we practice the specialty of Geriatric Medicine without understanding the basic fundamentals of the biology of ageing?

The management of older adults with type 2 diabetes requires careful consideration of the effects that advancing age and changes in health status can have on the competing risks and benefits of therapeutic interventions.

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder with an increasing prevalence reflecting the ageing population. Therefore, it is expected that non-motor symptoms, particularly the psychiatric manifestations of Parkinson's disease will become more of a noticeable burden.  

Prevalence of peripheral neuropathies is approximately 8% in the elderly population. Diabetes mellitus is a common aetiology of peripheral neuropathies in older people, and can cause not only physical restrictions but also psychological stress. A consideration of broad differential diagnoses and diagnostic work up is crucial. 

A fragility fracture is defined as a fracture resulting from an injury that would be insufficient to fracture normal bone, usually from a fall from standing height or less. Currently, over 300,000 patients present with fragility fractures every year in the UK, with 70,000-75,000 being hip fractures. The associated annual cost to the NHS is in the region of £2 billion.

New research presented recently at the European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, found that dieters using XLS-Medical Fat Binder (Litramine) were more successful at maintaining weight loss over a 24 week period compared to dieting alone.

Despite previous studies touting its benefit in moderating gout risk, new research reveals that vitamin C, also known ascorbic acid, does not reduce uric acid (urate) levels to a clinically significant degree in patients with established gout. 

Linaclotide (Constella) is now available for the symptomatic treatment of moderate to severe irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) in adults.

As a hospice dietitian, my goal is to find out what is important to the person, what they and their family care about and what they hope to accomplish as their life-threatening illness consumes more of their day.

The European Union of Geriatric Medicine (EUGMS) and Abbott have hosted the first-of-its-kind geriatric nutrition event in the UK.

What technological changes could impact on our clinical practice over the near future?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) significantly improves muscle function - down to the muscle fibre level - in postmenopausal women.

Sleepless nights and disrupted body clocks could be linked to mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.