Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
-
To understand the opinions of emergency medical service (EMS) providers regarding their ability to care for older adults, the domains of geriatric medicine in which they need more training, and the modality through which continuing education could be best delivered. ⋯ Further geriatric continuing education for EMS providers is needed. Some specific topics relate to medical issues, but a large proportion involve communications and psychosocial issues. Education should be delivered in a variety of modalities to meet the needs of the EMS community. Emerging on-line video technologies may bridge the gap between learners preferring classroom-based modailities and those preferring self-study modules.
-
To clarify the association between anticholinergic drugs and apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele carrier status (APOE4) and cognitive dysfunction. ⋯ Use of drugs with anticholinergic properties was associated with lower cognitive function irrespective of APOE4 carrier status. Having lower cognitive function as a group, APOE4 carriers may be more vulnerable to this undesirable effect, but a follow-up study is needed to demonstrate this.
-
To determine whether obesity affects cardiac complications after hip fracture repair. ⋯ The obesity paradox and low functional reserve in underweight patients may influence the development of postoperative cardiac events in elderly people with hip fracture.