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This article reviews the latest news and reports on medical advances, including the PREVAIL study, HPS2-THRIVE trial, the PARTNER II trial and the STREAM trial.

Cochlear implantation (CI) is an acceptable therapeutic option for patients with irreversible hearing loss. Most elderly patients are not being referred due to fear of adverse outcome related to general anaesthesia.

Over the last century dementia has emerged as one of the major burdens on the healthcare system and society in the western world. Behavioural disturbances are extremely common among people suffering from dementia.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common condition that affects elderly people and it increases their risk of falling significantly. BPPV is underdiagnosed and therefore undertreated in primary and community health services and the symptoms are frequently misinterpreted for symptoms of a sinister pathology such as stroke or brain tumour.  

Without doubt, the practice of medicine has benefited hugely over recent years from the introduction of modern digital technologies. However, like all medical devices, drugs, and other therapies and interventions - we also have to consider the downsides as well as the obvious benefits.

A new once-daily basal insulin for adult patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes is available in the UK as a new treatment option.

Report on the conference held at Wellcome Collection Conference Centre, London, on 11th October 2012.

Professionals in health and social care assess mental capacity for various decisions. This is described as a basic competence common to all professionals, but not all such assessments need professionals to make this judgement. There is a need for further training of all staff to competently assess mental capacity and make appropriate decisions.

Included in this report are highlights of recent trials on Parkinson's disease, heart failure and metabolic syndrome.

This article reviews the common skin conditions seen in an elderly population, their typical features and treatments. 

Hypothermia is a fall in core body temperature below 35°C. Hypothermia may be subdivided into mild (core body temperature 32.2–35°C), moderate (<32.2–28°C) and severe (<28°C).1,2 Prevention of hypothermia is crucial as is ensuring there is financial support available to help older people keep warm. This article will discuss the risk factors, management and the prevention of hypothermia, with particular emphasis on how this condition affects older adults.

The symptoms of urinary incontinence cause great distress in elderly women and those around them. A recent cohort study suggests that it may affect over one-fifth of people aged over 85 years, however this may be an underestimate.1 In this article we will explore the pathophysiology of urinary incontinence and also look at the management options available for patients.

The eighth National Medicine for Old Age Psychiatrists conference took place on the 5–6th November 2012 at the Institute of Physics. This report is based on some of the key presentations from the conference.

Stroke medicine is a rapidly evolving field. This commentary will summarise developments in the primary and secondary prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, and the latest guidance on intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischaemic stroke.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 came into effect (in part) in April 2007; all the outstanding provisions were introduced in October that year. Assessment of mental capacity is an important part of everyday practice and this Act gives guidance on both how to assess a patient and how to proceed if capacity is lacking. We highlight some important features of the Act, with reference to a clinical case.