Difficulties assessing the elderly
Some of the more common difficulties in assessing the elderly include:
- non-specific symptoms - confusion, falls or deteriorating functional ability - may be the only clue
- symptoms such as pain may be reduced or absent despite major disease
- physical signs may be much harder to elicit
- lab tests may be unreliable, especially white cell counts and ESR - use C-reactive protein
- multiple aetiology of symptoms such as breathlessness
- drug toxicity and interactions especially as renal and hepatic function deteriorate
- polypharmacy especially digoxin and analgesics
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