Falls in the elderly are commonly and often wrongly identified as "accidental". We report a case of an elderly woman admitted to first aid for a trauma due to an accidental fall. Geriatric multidisciplinary evaluation revealed mild cognitive impairment associated with depressive symptoms; both findings made the anamnesis uncertain. Syncope algorithm was applied and "tachy-brady form of sick sinus syndrome" was diagnosed. Differential diagnosis between "accidental" and "apparently accidental" falls in elderly patients is very difficult but a multidisciplinary geriatric evaluation can clarify the correct diagnosis. © 2008 Japan Geriatrics Society.
Multidisciplinary approach to "accidental" falls in the elderly: A case report / Galizia G.; Testa G.; Mazzella F.; Cacciatore F.; Ungar A.; Masotti G.; Rengo F.; Abete P.. - In: GERIATRICS AND GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL. - ISSN 1444-1586. - STAMPA. - 8:(2008), pp. 130-132. [10.1111/j.1447-0594.2008.00459.x]
Multidisciplinary approach to "accidental" falls in the elderly: A case report
Galizia G.;Ungar A.;Masotti G.;
2008
Abstract
Falls in the elderly are commonly and often wrongly identified as "accidental". We report a case of an elderly woman admitted to first aid for a trauma due to an accidental fall. Geriatric multidisciplinary evaluation revealed mild cognitive impairment associated with depressive symptoms; both findings made the anamnesis uncertain. Syncope algorithm was applied and "tachy-brady form of sick sinus syndrome" was diagnosed. Differential diagnosis between "accidental" and "apparently accidental" falls in elderly patients is very difficult but a multidisciplinary geriatric evaluation can clarify the correct diagnosis. © 2008 Japan Geriatrics Society.
I documenti in FLORE sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
