Geriatric medicine
Article Abstract:
Geriatric medicine faces challenges that differ somewhat from the challenges of other fields of medicine. Whereas many of the problems presented to other health-care workers are relatively short-term, many of the disorders faced by the elderly are chronic. One common disorder in geriatric medicine is osteoporosis. The loss of bone mineral in this condition renders the bones more susceptible to fracture. For the elderly, such fractures may mean the end of independent living and may sometimes be life-threatening. Postmenopausal women are at greatest risk, and the replacement of the natural hormone estrogen, which is reduced at menopause, has a favorable effect on the bone mineral. Furthermore, this estrogen replacement therapy also has a beneficial effect on the heart. Thiazide diuretics, used in the treatment of high blood pressure and heart failure, also have been found to have a favorable effect on bone, primarily due to the decrease in calcium excretion in the urine. In addition to bone conditions, the skeletal muscle system also poses challenges for the geriatric specialist. Reduced activity levels result in a loss of muscle mass and muscle strength. Elderly patients, like younger patients, should engage in regular programs of exercise. In one experimental study, an eight-week exercise program resulted in an increase in strength of 174 percent, improvements in mobility, and an increase in walking speed of 48 percent. The subjects for this exercise experiment were 90 years old. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1991
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Long-term effects of cognitive training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults
Article Abstract:
A randomized controlled trial was conducted to examine the long-term outcomes of cognitive training on daily functioning and the maintenance of self-reported instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in older adults. Results revealed that cognitive training improved cognitive functions in well-functioning older adults, which lasted up to 5 years from the beginning of the intervention, and also resulted in less functional decline in self-reported IADLs 5 years after training when compared with a control group.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 2006
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