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This week, complete the Aquifer case titled “Case #3: 65-year-old female with insomnia – Mrs. Gomez”
Apply information from the Aquifer Case Study to answer the following discussion questions:
· Discuss the Mrs. Gomez’s history that would be pertinent to her difficulty sleeping. Include chief complaint, HPI, Social, Family and Past medical history that would be important to know.
· Describe the physical exam and diagnostic tools to be used for Mrs. Gomez. Are there any additional you would have liked to be included that were not?
· Please list 3 differential diagnoses for Mrs. Gomez and explain why you chose them. What was your final diagnosis and how did you make the determination?
· What plan of care will Mrs. Gomez be given at this visit, include drug therapy and treatments; what is the patient education and follow-up?
You are doing an eight-week clerkship in a family medicine practice. Christina, the medical assistant, hands you the progress note for the next patient, which identifies the patient as Mrs. Gomez, “a 65-year-old woman who is here today reporting that she can’t sleep.”
Dr. Lee, your preceptor, fills you in: “Mrs. Gomez has been a patient here for several years. Difficulty sleeping is a new issue for her. Her past medical history is significant for hypertension and diabetes. Generally, she has been doing well, although I notice that her last hemoglobin A1c has climbed to 8.7%.”
Question
What are common causes of insomnia in the elderly?
SUBMIT
References
Yaremchuk K. Sleep disorders in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 2018 34(2):205-216. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2018.01.008.
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
Common causes of insomnia in the elderly:
1. Environmental problems
2. Drugs/alcohol/caffeine
3. Sleep apnea
4. Parasomnias: restless leg syndrome/periodic leg movements/REM sleep behavior disorder
5. Disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle
6. Psychiatric disorders, primarily depression and anxiety
7. Symptomatic cardiorespiratory disease (asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/congestive heart failure)
8. Pain or pruritus
9. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
10. Hyperthyroidism
11. Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS)
TEACHING POINT
Common Causes of Insomnia in the Elderly
Issues that may lead to an environment that is not conducive to sleep.
· Specific examples include: noise or uncomfortable bedding.
· You can teach the patient sleep hygiene techniques that will increase the likelihood of a restful night’s sleep.
Question the use of prescription, over-the-counter, alternative, and recreational drugs that might be affecting sleep.
- Patients should be counseled to avoid caffeine and alcohol for four to six hours before bedtime.
Sleep apnea is common in the elderly, occurring in 20% to 70% of elderly patients.
- Obstruction of breathing results in frequent arousal that the patient is typically not aware of; however, a bed partner or family member may report loud snoring or cessation of breathing during sleep.
In restless leg syndrome, the patient experiences an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations.
In periodic leg movement and REM sleep behavior disorder, the patient experiences involuntary leg movements while falling asleep and during sleep respectively.
- As in sleep apnea, the sleeper is often unaware of these behaviors and a bed partner or family member may need to be asked about these movements.
Disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle include jet lag and shift work.
Patients with depression and anxiety commonly present with insomnia.
- Any patient presenting with insomnia should be screened for these disorders.
Patients with shortness of breath due to cardiorespiratory disorders often report that these symptoms keep them awake.
Pain or pruritus may keep patients awake at night.
Those with GERD may report heartburn, throat pain, or breathing problems.
- These patients may also have trouble identifying what awakens them.
- Detailed questioning may be needed to elicit the symptoms of this disorder.
Elderly patients with hyperthyroidism frequently do not present with typical symptoms such as tachycardia or weight loss, and laboratory studies may be required to detect this problem.
Circadian rhythms change, with older adults tending to get sleepy earlier in the night. In advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), this has progressed to the point where the patient becomes drowsy at 6 to 7 p.m. If they go to sleep at this hour, they sleep a normal seven to eight hours, waking at 3 or 4 a.m. However, if they try to stay up later, their advanced sleep/wake rhythm still causes them to awaken at 3 or 4 a.m. This can be difficult to distiguish from insomnia.
SLEEP HYGIENE
TEACHING
Dr. Lee tells you, “Poor sleeping habits can also cause insomnia. Here is a handout on sleep hygiene. For some patients, simply correcting their sleep habits by following these tips will correct their quality of sleep.”
You review the handout.
TEACHING POINT
Good Sleep Hygiene
Your Personal Habits
· Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. The body “gets used to” falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.
· Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a “sleepy time.” Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30 to 45 minutes and can sleep well at night.
· Avoid alcohol four to six hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in the blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.
· Avoid caffeine four to six hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate, so be careful.
· Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods four to six hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep.
· Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the two hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.
Your Sleeping Environment
· Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
· Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
· Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
· Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body “know” that the bed is associated with sleeping.
Getting Ready For Bed
· Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
· Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
· Don’t take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a “worry period” during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.
· Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.
· Get into your favorite sleeping position. If you don’t fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.
Getting Up in the Middle of the Night
Most people wake up one or two times per night for various reasons. If you find that you get up in the middle of night and cannot get back to sleep within 15 to 20 minutes, then do not remain in the bed “trying hard” to sleep. Get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity, or take a bath. You will generally find that you can get back to sleep 20 minutes or so later. Do not perform challenging or engaging activity such as office work, housework, etc. Do not watch television.
A Word About Television
Many people fall asleep with the television on in their room. This is often a bad idea. Television is a very engaging medium that tends to keep people up. We generally recommend that the television not be in the bedroom. At the appropriate bedtime, the TV should be turned off and the patient should go to bed. This also applies to computers, tablets and smart phones. Some people find that the radio helps them go to sleep. Since radio is a less engaging medium than TV, this is probably a good
EACHING POINT
Treatments for Primary Insomnia in the Elderly
Of the behavioral treatments, many of which may be of some assistance in the elderly, only sleep restriction/sleep compression therapy and multi-component cognitive-behavioral therapy have met evidence-based criteria for efficacy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I is recommended as the first choice for most patients with insomnia. CBT-I combines different behavioral treatments, resulting in improvements lasting up to two years. Recent guidelines recommend CBT-I as the first-line therapy for insomnia in adults. Examples include:
· Sleep restriction therapy: The patient is told to reduce his or her sleep/in-bed time to the average number of hours the patient has actually been able to sleep over the last two weeks (as opposed to the number of hours spent in bed (awake plus asleep)). As sleep efficiency increases, time allowed in bed is increased gradually by 15- to 20-minute increments approximately once every five days (if improvement is sustained) until the individual’s optimal sleep time is obtained.
· Sleep compression therapy: The patient is counseled to decrease the amount of time spent in bed gradually to match total sleep time rather than making an immediate substantial change.
Pharmacological Therapy
All drugs for the treatment of insomnia can be associated with side effects – particularly prolonged sedation and dizziness – that can result in the risk of injuries and confusion.
Preferred agents:
Class
Agents
Comments
Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists
zolpidem (Ambien)
eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Improved sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset
Tricyclic Antidepressants
doxepin 3-6 mg
Doxepin only suggested agent in this class
Orexin Receptor Antagonist
suvorexant (Belsomra)
Improved sleep-onset and/or sleep-maintenance insomnia.
Benzodiazepines can be effective but have more complications and the additional risk of addiction.
Antihistamines, antidepressants (in the absence of depression), anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics are associated with more risks than benefits in older adults.
Combining CBT-I and pharmacological therapy can be helpful in some patients.
The evidence base for exercise as a treatment for insomnia is less extensive. Despite this, there are many other reasons to encourage regular physical activity in the elderly, assuming there are no other contraindications to such activity.
References
Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, Cooke M, Denberg TD. Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-33. DOI: 10.7326/M15-2175
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
After discussing these potential causes of insomnia with Dr. Lee, you feel prepared to talk with Mrs. Gomez. You knock on the exam room door and enter to find a pleasant-appearing Latina who is accompanied by her daughter, Silvia. You introduce yourself and ask if you may ask her a few questions, to which she agrees.
“What brings you to the clinic today?”
“I’m just so tired lately. I just can’t seem to sleep.”
“Tell me more about this.”
“Well, for the last six months I can’t sleep for more than a couple of hours before I wake up,” Mrs. Gomez tells you.
On further questioning, Mrs. Gomez denies any discomfort such as pain or breathing problems disturbing her sleep. She denies any snoring, apneic spells (a period of time during which breathing stops or is markedly reduced), or physical restlessness during sleep. Her daughter agrees that she has not seen these problems. She rarely consumes alcohol or caffeine.
When you ask if anything like noise or an uncomfortable sleeping environment might be bothering her, she replies that this is not a problem – but her daughter interjects: “Yes, in fact Mom’s waking up the rest of us, walking around and turning on the TV. My husband and I both work. So we all need our rest. Mom came to live with us last year after Dad passed away. We’re her only family around here and we thought we should help her.”
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
You tell Mrs. Gomez,
“I’m sorry to hear about your husband.”
“Yes, we were married for 30 years. This has been a difficult time for me.”
“Do you find that you feel sad most of the time?”
“Of course I am sad when I think about my husband and how much I miss him. But I wouldn’t say that I’m sad most of the time.”
Silvia states, “But Mom, you spend most of your time just moping around the house.” Turning to you she elaborates, “She seems to be in slow motion most of the time. She doesn’t even go to church anymore. She used to go three to four times a week. She used to read all the time, and she doesn’t do that anymore either.”
Mrs. Gomez explains, “I haven’t been reading as much as I used to because I can’t seem to focus and I end up reading the same page over and over.” She goes on to say, “And I don’t seem to have any energy to do anything. I’m not even able to help out around the house. I feel bad about that; I should be helping out more. I seem to spend a lot of time just watching TV and eating junk food.”
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
I’m not familiar with that product, but I’ll mention it to Dr. Lee. I’m glad you brought it up. It’s important that your doctors know about everything you are taking, whether it’s prescription medication or not. I’m sorry nothing seems to be helping you sleep. We’ll get to the bottom of this together.”
You turn your attention to taking Mrs. Gomez’s past medical history. You learn:
Problem list:
· Hypercholesterolemia
· Type 2 diabetes
· Hypertension
Surgical history:
· Cholecystectomy
· Hysterectomy (due to fibroids)
Medications:
For diabetes:
· Glyburide (10 mg daily)
· Metformin (1,000 mg bid)
For blood pressure:
· Methyldopa (250 mg bid)
· Lisinopril (10 mg daily)
For cholesterol:
· Atorvastatin (80 mg daily)
For CHD prophylaxis:
· Aspirin 81 mg daily
For osteoporosis prevention:
· Calcium citrate with vitamin D (600mg/400 IU bid)
Diphenhydramine is her only over-the-counter medication, and she is taking no traditional or herbal medications beyond the zapote tea.
Social History
She does not smoke, and drinks only small amounts of alcohol on holidays.
References
Kemp C, Rasbridge LA. Refugee and Immigrant Health: A Handbook for Health Professionals. Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press; 2004.
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
Given what you have heard from Mrs. Gomez and her daughter, especially
· her inability to focus,
· her lack of energy,
· the sense that she is in slow motion,
· she has stopped doing activities she previously enjoyed,
You are concerned that her insomnia may be due to depression. Depression may stem from environmental stressors such as her husband’s death and her loss of independence along with a primary neurochemical imbalance. Her depression also could be caused by another medical condition.
Medical Conditions Associated with Depression
A number of diseases either cause depressive symptoms or have depression as a comorbidity at higher rates than would be normally expected.
In looking for the causes and associations of depression, first consider the common conditions. Then think about the very serious diseases that you don’t want to miss. Beyond that, there’s a very wide range of diagnoses that can look like depression:
Hypothyroidism:
About 5% of the U.S. population has hypothyroidism. Checking the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) would help make the diagnosis. Hypothyroidism can be treated with thyroid-replacement medications such as triiodothyronine (T3) and/or levothyroxine (T4). Once TSH levels are returned to the normal range, the symptoms of depression often subside.
Parkinson disease:
Up to 60% of people with this disorder experience mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Although several reports have shown a link between depressive symptoms and Parkinson disease, it is unclear whether one causes the other or if both may arise from some common mechanism. A recent study has indicated that depressive symptoms are an early feature of Parkinson disease, preceding the characteristic movement problems seen in Parkinson such as tremor and rigid muscles. Therefore, people with signs of depression who start to develop movement problems should be promptly evaluated to rule out a diagnosis of Parkinson disease.
Dementia:
Dementia and depression may be difficult to differentiate, as people with either disorder are frequently passive or unresponsive, and they may appear slow, confused, or forgetful. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is useful to assess cognitive skills in people with suspected dementia. (The MMSE examines orientation, memory, and attention, as well as the ability to name objects, follow verbal and written commands, write a sentence spontaneously, and copy a complex shape.) Early and accurate diagnosis of dementia is important for patients and their families because it allows early treatment of symptoms. For people with other progressive dementia, early diagnosis may allow them to plan for the future while they can still help to make decisions. These people also may benefit from drug treatment.
Hypertension (C) and asthma (E) have not been specifically linked to higher rates of depression.
Some other diseases that have been linked to depression include:
· Endocrine disease (Addison disease, diabetes, Cushing syndrome, hypoglycemia, hyperparathyroidism)
· Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
· Cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, angina)
· Cancer (particularly of the pancreas)
· Cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction
· Electrolyte and renal abnormalities
· Folate, cobalamin and thiamine deficiencies
· Hepatitis
· Intracranial tumors
· Multiple sclerosis
· Porphyria
· Rheumatologic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, temporal arteritis)
· Syphilis
· Temporal lobe epilepsy
· Huntington’s Disease
· Chronic pain
· EVIEW OF SYSTEMS
· HISTORY
· Keeping in mind the disorders associated with depression, you elicit a review of systems from Mrs. Gomez to help discover what these indicate regarding her underlying illness.
· Constitutional: Mrs. Gomez has gained about 10 lbs in the last six months. She denies fevers or dizziness. This makes you less concerned about cancer or other systemic illness.
· Respiratory: No shortness of breath, making cardio-respiratory disease less likely.
· Cardiac: No chest pains, palpitations or edema, decreasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.
· Gastrointestinal: No nausea, changes in bowel habits, hematochezia or melena. This makes you less concerned about gastrointestinal cancer or occult blood loss leading to anemia.
· Endocrinologic: No polydipsia or polyuria, decreasing the likelihood of poorly controlled diabetes.
· Neurologic: No acute neurologic changes or tremors. Her daughter confirms that patient has been alert, oriented and has had no episodes of confusion. So you are now less concerned about cerebral infarction, intracranial tumors, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson disease.
· Urologic: Normally urinates one to two times at night.
· Once you have completed your review of systems, you excuse yourself from the room for a moment while Mrs. Gomez changes into a gown.
· CONTINUE
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Dq 1 And Dq 2
/in Uncategorized /by developerModule 2 DQ 1 and DQ 2
Tutor MUST have a good command of the English language
These are two discussion questions
DQ1 and DQ2 posts must be at least 150 words and have at least one reference cited for each question. In-text citation, please
Tutor MUST have a good command of the English language
Sources need to be journal/scholarly articles.
Use only articles that are published between 2015-2018 (except for your theory articles which will be older as you must cite primary sources).
No textbook or direct quotes
Please separate the two DQ with their reference page
My project is CLABSI prevention
Topic 6 DQ 1
The Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) guidelines provide some guidance on the evaluation of quality improvement efforts. They are used as both grant proposal and manuscript preparation guides. Use the “Revised Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence: SQUIRE 2.0” resource to respond to the following:
Discuss how your project/prospectus fits into the SQUIRE guidelines. Explain why your project is a quality improvement project and not a research project
Topic 6 DQ 2
Discuss why quantitative method is the best method based on your project questions and data. Choose three potential designs that you could use for your project. Based on the three potential designs, determine potential analyses methods and why?
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Dq 1 Week 3 18897209
/in Uncategorized /by developerUse the following Case Scenario, Subjective Data, and Objective Data to answer the Critical Thinking Questions.
Case Scenario
Mrs. J. is a 63-year-old woman who has a history of hypertension, chronic heart failure, and sleep apnea. She has been smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for 40 years and has refused to quit. Three days ago, she had an onset of flu with fever, pharyngitis, and malaise. She has not taken her antihypertensive medications or her medications to control her heart failure for 4 days. Today, she has been admitted to the hospital ICU with acute decompensated heart failure.
Subjective Data
1. Is very anxious and asks whether she is going to die.
2. Denies pain but says she feels like she cannot get enough air.
3. Says her heart feels like it is “running away.”
4. Reports that she is so exhausted she cannot eat or drink by herself.
Objective Data
1. Height 175 cm; Weight 95.5 kg
2. Vital signs: T 37.6 C, HR 118 and irregular, RR 34, BP 90/58
3. Cardiovascular: Distant S1, S2, S3 present; PMI at sixth ICS and faint; all peripheral pulses are 1+; bilateral jugular vein distention; initial cardiac monitoring indicates a ventricular rate of 132 and atrial fibrillation
4. Respiratory: Pulmonary crackles; decreased breath sounds right lower lobe; coughing frothy blood-tinged sputum; SpO2 82%
5. Gastrointestinal: BS present: hepatomegaly 4 cm below costal margin
Critical Thinking Questions
What nursing interventions are appropriate for Mrs. J. at the time of her admission? Drug therapy is started for Mrs. J. to control her symptoms. What is the rationale for the administration of each of the following medications?
1. IV furosemide (Lasix)
2. Enalapril (Vasotec)
3. Metoprolol (Lopressor)
4. IV morphine sulphate (Morphine)
Describe four cardiovascular conditions that may lead to heart failure and what can be done in the form of medical/nursing interventions to prevent the development of heart failure in each condition.
Taking into consideration the fact that most mature adults take at least six prescription medications, discuss four nursing interventions that can help prevent problems caused by multiple drug interactions in older patients. Provide rationale for each of the interventions you recommend.
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Dq 1 Week 4 Advance Practice Nurse 1
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This week, complete the Aquifer case titled “Case #3: 65-year-old female with insomnia – Mrs. Gomez”
Apply information from the Aquifer Case Study to answer the following discussion questions:
· Discuss the Mrs. Gomez’s history that would be pertinent to her difficulty sleeping. Include chief complaint, HPI, Social, Family and Past medical history that would be important to know.
· Describe the physical exam and diagnostic tools to be used for Mrs. Gomez. Are there any additional you would have liked to be included that were not?
· Please list 3 differential diagnoses for Mrs. Gomez and explain why you chose them. What was your final diagnosis and how did you make the determination?
· What plan of care will Mrs. Gomez be given at this visit, include drug therapy and treatments; what is the patient education and follow-up?
You are doing an eight-week clerkship in a family medicine practice. Christina, the medical assistant, hands you the progress note for the next patient, which identifies the patient as Mrs. Gomez, “a 65-year-old woman who is here today reporting that she can’t sleep.”
Dr. Lee, your preceptor, fills you in: “Mrs. Gomez has been a patient here for several years. Difficulty sleeping is a new issue for her. Her past medical history is significant for hypertension and diabetes. Generally, she has been doing well, although I notice that her last hemoglobin A1c has climbed to 8.7%.”
Question
What are common causes of insomnia in the elderly?
SUBMIT
References
Yaremchuk K. Sleep disorders in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 2018 34(2):205-216. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2018.01.008.
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
Common causes of insomnia in the elderly:
1. Environmental problems
2. Drugs/alcohol/caffeine
3. Sleep apnea
4. Parasomnias: restless leg syndrome/periodic leg movements/REM sleep behavior disorder
5. Disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle
6. Psychiatric disorders, primarily depression and anxiety
7. Symptomatic cardiorespiratory disease (asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/congestive heart failure)
8. Pain or pruritus
9. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
10. Hyperthyroidism
11. Advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS)
TEACHING POINT
Common Causes of Insomnia in the Elderly
Issues that may lead to an environment that is not conducive to sleep.
· Specific examples include: noise or uncomfortable bedding.
· You can teach the patient sleep hygiene techniques that will increase the likelihood of a restful night’s sleep.
Question the use of prescription, over-the-counter, alternative, and recreational drugs that might be affecting sleep.
Sleep apnea is common in the elderly, occurring in 20% to 70% of elderly patients.
In restless leg syndrome, the patient experiences an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations.
In periodic leg movement and REM sleep behavior disorder, the patient experiences involuntary leg movements while falling asleep and during sleep respectively.
Disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle include jet lag and shift work.
Patients with depression and anxiety commonly present with insomnia.
Patients with shortness of breath due to cardiorespiratory disorders often report that these symptoms keep them awake.
Pain or pruritus may keep patients awake at night.
Those with GERD may report heartburn, throat pain, or breathing problems.
Elderly patients with hyperthyroidism frequently do not present with typical symptoms such as tachycardia or weight loss, and laboratory studies may be required to detect this problem.
Circadian rhythms change, with older adults tending to get sleepy earlier in the night. In advanced sleep phase syndrome (ASPS), this has progressed to the point where the patient becomes drowsy at 6 to 7 p.m. If they go to sleep at this hour, they sleep a normal seven to eight hours, waking at 3 or 4 a.m. However, if they try to stay up later, their advanced sleep/wake rhythm still causes them to awaken at 3 or 4 a.m. This can be difficult to distiguish from insomnia.
SLEEP HYGIENE
TEACHING
Dr. Lee tells you, “Poor sleeping habits can also cause insomnia. Here is a handout on sleep hygiene. For some patients, simply correcting their sleep habits by following these tips will correct their quality of sleep.”
You review the handout.
TEACHING POINT
Good Sleep Hygiene
Your Personal Habits
· Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. The body “gets used to” falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.
· Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a “sleepy time.” Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30 to 45 minutes and can sleep well at night.
· Avoid alcohol four to six hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in the blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.
· Avoid caffeine four to six hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate, so be careful.
· Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods four to six hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep.
· Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the two hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.
Your Sleeping Environment
· Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
· Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
· Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
· Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. Don’t use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body “know” that the bed is associated with sleeping.
Getting Ready For Bed
· Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
· Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
· Don’t take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a “worry period” during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.
· Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.
· Get into your favorite sleeping position. If you don’t fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.
Getting Up in the Middle of the Night
Most people wake up one or two times per night for various reasons. If you find that you get up in the middle of night and cannot get back to sleep within 15 to 20 minutes, then do not remain in the bed “trying hard” to sleep. Get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity, or take a bath. You will generally find that you can get back to sleep 20 minutes or so later. Do not perform challenging or engaging activity such as office work, housework, etc. Do not watch television.
A Word About Television
Many people fall asleep with the television on in their room. This is often a bad idea. Television is a very engaging medium that tends to keep people up. We generally recommend that the television not be in the bedroom. At the appropriate bedtime, the TV should be turned off and the patient should go to bed. This also applies to computers, tablets and smart phones. Some people find that the radio helps them go to sleep. Since radio is a less engaging medium than TV, this is probably a good
EACHING POINT
Treatments for Primary Insomnia in the Elderly
Of the behavioral treatments, many of which may be of some assistance in the elderly, only sleep restriction/sleep compression therapy and multi-component cognitive-behavioral therapy have met evidence-based criteria for efficacy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)
CBT-I is recommended as the first choice for most patients with insomnia. CBT-I combines different behavioral treatments, resulting in improvements lasting up to two years. Recent guidelines recommend CBT-I as the first-line therapy for insomnia in adults. Examples include:
· Sleep restriction therapy: The patient is told to reduce his or her sleep/in-bed time to the average number of hours the patient has actually been able to sleep over the last two weeks (as opposed to the number of hours spent in bed (awake plus asleep)). As sleep efficiency increases, time allowed in bed is increased gradually by 15- to 20-minute increments approximately once every five days (if improvement is sustained) until the individual’s optimal sleep time is obtained.
· Sleep compression therapy: The patient is counseled to decrease the amount of time spent in bed gradually to match total sleep time rather than making an immediate substantial change.
Pharmacological Therapy
All drugs for the treatment of insomnia can be associated with side effects – particularly prolonged sedation and dizziness – that can result in the risk of injuries and confusion.
Preferred agents:
Class
Agents
Comments
Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists
zolpidem (Ambien)
eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Improved sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset
Tricyclic Antidepressants
doxepin 3-6 mg
Doxepin only suggested agent in this class
Orexin Receptor Antagonist
suvorexant (Belsomra)
Improved sleep-onset and/or sleep-maintenance insomnia.
Benzodiazepines can be effective but have more complications and the additional risk of addiction.
Antihistamines, antidepressants (in the absence of depression), anticonvulsants, and antipsychotics are associated with more risks than benefits in older adults.
Combining CBT-I and pharmacological therapy can be helpful in some patients.
The evidence base for exercise as a treatment for insomnia is less extensive. Despite this, there are many other reasons to encourage regular physical activity in the elderly, assuming there are no other contraindications to such activity.
References
Qaseem A, Kansagara D, Forciea MA, Cooke M, Denberg TD. Management of Chronic Insomnia Disorder in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165(2):125-33. DOI: 10.7326/M15-2175
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
After discussing these potential causes of insomnia with Dr. Lee, you feel prepared to talk with Mrs. Gomez. You knock on the exam room door and enter to find a pleasant-appearing Latina who is accompanied by her daughter, Silvia. You introduce yourself and ask if you may ask her a few questions, to which she agrees.
“What brings you to the clinic today?”
“I’m just so tired lately. I just can’t seem to sleep.”
“Tell me more about this.”
“Well, for the last six months I can’t sleep for more than a couple of hours before I wake up,” Mrs. Gomez tells you.
On further questioning, Mrs. Gomez denies any discomfort such as pain or breathing problems disturbing her sleep. She denies any snoring, apneic spells (a period of time during which breathing stops or is markedly reduced), or physical restlessness during sleep. Her daughter agrees that she has not seen these problems. She rarely consumes alcohol or caffeine.
When you ask if anything like noise or an uncomfortable sleeping environment might be bothering her, she replies that this is not a problem – but her daughter interjects: “Yes, in fact Mom’s waking up the rest of us, walking around and turning on the TV. My husband and I both work. So we all need our rest. Mom came to live with us last year after Dad passed away. We’re her only family around here and we thought we should help her.”
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
You tell Mrs. Gomez,
“I’m sorry to hear about your husband.”
“Yes, we were married for 30 years. This has been a difficult time for me.”
“Do you find that you feel sad most of the time?”
“Of course I am sad when I think about my husband and how much I miss him. But I wouldn’t say that I’m sad most of the time.”
Silvia states, “But Mom, you spend most of your time just moping around the house.” Turning to you she elaborates, “She seems to be in slow motion most of the time. She doesn’t even go to church anymore. She used to go three to four times a week. She used to read all the time, and she doesn’t do that anymore either.”
Mrs. Gomez explains, “I haven’t been reading as much as I used to because I can’t seem to focus and I end up reading the same page over and over.” She goes on to say, “And I don’t seem to have any energy to do anything. I’m not even able to help out around the house. I feel bad about that; I should be helping out more. I seem to spend a lot of time just watching TV and eating junk food.”
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
I’m not familiar with that product, but I’ll mention it to Dr. Lee. I’m glad you brought it up. It’s important that your doctors know about everything you are taking, whether it’s prescription medication or not. I’m sorry nothing seems to be helping you sleep. We’ll get to the bottom of this together.”
You turn your attention to taking Mrs. Gomez’s past medical history. You learn:
Problem list:
· Hypercholesterolemia
· Type 2 diabetes
· Hypertension
Surgical history:
· Cholecystectomy
· Hysterectomy (due to fibroids)
Medications:
For diabetes:
· Glyburide (10 mg daily)
· Metformin (1,000 mg bid)
For blood pressure:
· Methyldopa (250 mg bid)
· Lisinopril (10 mg daily)
For cholesterol:
· Atorvastatin (80 mg daily)
For CHD prophylaxis:
· Aspirin 81 mg daily
For osteoporosis prevention:
· Calcium citrate with vitamin D (600mg/400 IU bid)
Diphenhydramine is her only over-the-counter medication, and she is taking no traditional or herbal medications beyond the zapote tea.
Social History
She does not smoke, and drinks only small amounts of alcohol on holidays.
References
Kemp C, Rasbridge LA. Refugee and Immigrant Health: A Handbook for Health Professionals. Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press; 2004.
CONTINUE
DIAGNOSES
FINDINGS
NOTES
BOOKMARKS
Given what you have heard from Mrs. Gomez and her daughter, especially
· her inability to focus,
· her lack of energy,
· the sense that she is in slow motion,
· she has stopped doing activities she previously enjoyed,
You are concerned that her insomnia may be due to depression. Depression may stem from environmental stressors such as her husband’s death and her loss of independence along with a primary neurochemical imbalance. Her depression also could be caused by another medical condition.
Medical Conditions Associated with Depression
A number of diseases either cause depressive symptoms or have depression as a comorbidity at higher rates than would be normally expected.
In looking for the causes and associations of depression, first consider the common conditions. Then think about the very serious diseases that you don’t want to miss. Beyond that, there’s a very wide range of diagnoses that can look like depression:
Hypothyroidism:
About 5% of the U.S. population has hypothyroidism. Checking the level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) would help make the diagnosis. Hypothyroidism can be treated with thyroid-replacement medications such as triiodothyronine (T3) and/or levothyroxine (T4). Once TSH levels are returned to the normal range, the symptoms of depression often subside.
Parkinson disease:
Up to 60% of people with this disorder experience mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Although several reports have shown a link between depressive symptoms and Parkinson disease, it is unclear whether one causes the other or if both may arise from some common mechanism. A recent study has indicated that depressive symptoms are an early feature of Parkinson disease, preceding the characteristic movement problems seen in Parkinson such as tremor and rigid muscles. Therefore, people with signs of depression who start to develop movement problems should be promptly evaluated to rule out a diagnosis of Parkinson disease.
Dementia:
Dementia and depression may be difficult to differentiate, as people with either disorder are frequently passive or unresponsive, and they may appear slow, confused, or forgetful. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is useful to assess cognitive skills in people with suspected dementia. (The MMSE examines orientation, memory, and attention, as well as the ability to name objects, follow verbal and written commands, write a sentence spontaneously, and copy a complex shape.) Early and accurate diagnosis of dementia is important for patients and their families because it allows early treatment of symptoms. For people with other progressive dementia, early diagnosis may allow them to plan for the future while they can still help to make decisions. These people also may benefit from drug treatment.
Hypertension (C) and asthma (E) have not been specifically linked to higher rates of depression.
Some other diseases that have been linked to depression include:
· Endocrine disease (Addison disease, diabetes, Cushing syndrome, hypoglycemia, hyperparathyroidism)
· Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
· Cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, angina)
· Cancer (particularly of the pancreas)
· Cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral infarction
· Electrolyte and renal abnormalities
· Folate, cobalamin and thiamine deficiencies
· Hepatitis
· Intracranial tumors
· Multiple sclerosis
· Porphyria
· Rheumatologic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, temporal arteritis)
· Syphilis
· Temporal lobe epilepsy
· Huntington’s Disease
· Chronic pain
· EVIEW OF SYSTEMS
· HISTORY
· Keeping in mind the disorders associated with depression, you elicit a review of systems from Mrs. Gomez to help discover what these indicate regarding her underlying illness.
· Constitutional: Mrs. Gomez has gained about 10 lbs in the last six months. She denies fevers or dizziness. This makes you less concerned about cancer or other systemic illness.
· Respiratory: No shortness of breath, making cardio-respiratory disease less likely.
· Cardiac: No chest pains, palpitations or edema, decreasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease.
· Gastrointestinal: No nausea, changes in bowel habits, hematochezia or melena. This makes you less concerned about gastrointestinal cancer or occult blood loss leading to anemia.
· Endocrinologic: No polydipsia or polyuria, decreasing the likelihood of poorly controlled diabetes.
· Neurologic: No acute neurologic changes or tremors. Her daughter confirms that patient has been alert, oriented and has had no episodes of confusion. So you are now less concerned about cerebral infarction, intracranial tumors, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson disease.
· Urologic: Normally urinates one to two times at night.
· Once you have completed your review of systems, you excuse yourself from the room for a moment while Mrs. Gomez changes into a gown.
· CONTINUE
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Dq 1 Week 5 18946787
/in Uncategorized /by developerthis dq is due for tomorrow 08/18/18


You are working with Dr. Lee today. She hands you a triage note from the nurse regarding your next patient, Mr. Payne:
Forty-five-year-old white male truck driver complaining of two weeks of sharp, stabbing back pain. The pain was better after a couple of days but then got worse after playing softball with his daughter. This morning his pain is so bad that he had trouble getting out of bed.
Dr. Lee provides you some background information about low back pain.
TEACHING POINT
Low Back Pain Prevalence, Cost, & Duration
Low back pain (LBP) is the fifth most common reason for all doctor visits. In the U.S., lifetime prevalence of LBP is 60% to 80%. The direct and indirect costs for treatment of LBP are estimated to be $100 billion annually. Fortunately, most LBP resolves in two to four weeks.
Dr. Lee continues: “There are many causes for LBP. For presenting symptoms that have a broad differential diagnosis, I find it helpful to think of systems of etiologies in which diseases or conditions can be categorized.”
TEACHING POINT
Common Causes of Back Pain
Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Non-MSK Causes of Back Pain
MSK Causes
Axial:
Radicular:
Trauma:
Non-MSK Causes
Neoplastic:
Inflammatory:
Visceral:
Infection:
Vascular:
Endocrine:
Dr. Lee suggests, “Now, let’s look a bit more at the risk factors for mechanical low back pain that you can review with Mr. Payne during your history.”
Dr. Lee continues, “The major task in treating back pain is to Now that you have a diagnosis of disc herniation with radiculopathy for Mr. Payne, let’s discuss what would you like to do for him distinguish the common causes for back pain (95% of cases) from the 5% with serious underlying diseases or neurologic impairments that are potentially treatable.”
TEACHING POINT
Risk Factors for Low Back Pain
TEACHING POINT
Red Flags For Serious Illness or Neurologic Impairment with Back Pain
HISTORY
You and Dr. Lee take a few minutes to review Mr. Payne’s chart:
Vital signs:
Past Medical History: Diabetes, well controlled. Hypertension, fair control. Hyperlipidemia, fair control.
Past Surgical History: None
Social History: Works as a truck driver, which involves lifting 20-35 lbs 4 hours of the day, married with 2 daughters,
Habits: Quit smoking two years ago, drinks 1 to 2 beers occasionally on the weekends, no history of IV drug use.
Medication:
Allergies: No known drug allergies
After introducing yourself to Mr. Payne, you sit down across from him and begin your history, focusing on the key elements.
“Can you tell me about your back pain?”
“As I told the nurse, the pain started two weeks ago after I lifted a box at work. Right away, I got this sharp pain on the left side of my back. The box wasn’t even that heavy.
“I talked to the nurse at work; she said to ice it and to take ibuprofen. It got better after three days. But, I was playing softball with my daughter last weekend, and the pain came back. This time it was worse than before. This week, the pain is so bad I can hardly get out of bed. I get a sharp pain in my back which goes down my left leg to my ankle.”
“On a scale of 0 to 10, 10 being the worst, how severe is the pain?”
“It’s probably a 7.”
“Have you found anything that improves the pain?”
“Ibuprofen and Naproxen worked at first, but they are not helping much anymore.”
“What about positions that make things better or worse?”
“The pain is worse with any movement of my back or sitting for a long time. It is better when I lie down.”
“Have you had back pain before?”
“Yes, I have back pain from time to time. But I’m usually better after 2 to 3 days. This is the worst pain I have ever had.”
You complete your history with a review of systems and discover:
Review of Systems
Mr. Payne does not have numbness or weakness in his legs. The pain is better when he lies down. He denies urinary frequency, dysuria, problems with bowel or bladder control, fever or chills, nausea or vomiting, or weight loss. He denies any specific trauma, except for when he lifted a 10-pound box at work. He denies unrelenting night pain.
You excuse yourself from Mr. Payne to discuss your findings with Dr. Lee.
Dr. Lee walks through the steps for completing a neurologic exam in a patient with back pain.
Back Exam – Standing:
Mr. Payne has normal curvature, tenderness on palpation on the left lumbar paraspinous muscle with increase tone. Full range of motion, but has pain with movement. His gait is normal. He can walk on his heels and toes. He can do deep knee bends.
Back Exam – Seated:
Mr. Payne denies feeling pain when checked for CVA tenderness. He has no pain in his right leg with the modified version of SLR. While he does not exhibit a true tripod sign, he does complain of pain when his left leg is raised. Mr. Payne’s reflexes are 2+ and equal at the knees and 1+ at both ankles. The motor exam reveals no weakness of the muscles of the lower extremities. His sensory exam is normal.
Pulmonary Exam: His lungs are clear.
Cardiovascular Exam: His cardiac exam demonstrates a regular rhythm, no murmur or gallop.
Mr. Payne’s abdominal exam is negative. His straight leg raising is positive at 75 degrees on the left and negative on the right. His FABER test is negative and sacroiliac joint is nontender. His motor exam reveals no weakness of the muscles of the lower extremities.
After finishing your exam together, you and Dr. Lee excuse yourselves from the exam room for a moment.
Dr. Lee reminds you that disc herniation, a condition which is self-limited and usually resolves in two to four weeks, remains a working diagnosis for Mr. Payne. She says, “Let’s take a few minutes, though, to discuss some conditions we still don’t want to miss.”
Now that you have a diagnosis of disc herniation with radiculopathy for Mr. Payne, let’s discuss what would you like to do for him
You and Dr. Lee now return to Mr. Payne’s exam room to talk about treatment options with him. Dr. Lee tells Mr. Payne to avoid strenuous activities but to remain active. Dr. Lee increases the dosage of naproxen to 500 mg BID to take with food. Since his pain is intense (7/10), he is given a prescription for acetaminophen with codeine to take at night, when his pain is severe. Mr. Payne declines a muscle relaxant because they usually make him drowsy. He would like to be referred to physical therapy as it was helpful in the past.
Three weeks later, Mr. Payne returns for his follow-up appointment and you discover the following:
Pertinent History
Mr. Payne has had little relief with the treatment prescribed. He is frustrated that he has been in pain for more than a month. His pain has been progressively worse. It radiates down the lateral part of his left leg and side of his left foot. This pain is worse than the back pain. He does not have any problems with bowel or bladder control and there is no weakness of his leg.
Pertinent Exam Findings
Vital signs: stable
Neurologic: Normal gait, but moves slowly due to pain; range of motion is full, with pain on flexion; SLR is positive at 45 degree on the left; motor strength intact; reflexes 2+ bilaterally at the knees, absent at the left ankle, 1+ at the right ankle.
Dr. Lee agrees with your diagnosis of radiculopathy of S1 nerve root with progression. She orders an MRI and sets up an appointment to see Mr. Payne after the MRI.
ne week later, Mr. Payne returns for follow-up. You review the results of the MRI report.
MRI report:
You review the findings with Dr. Lee. She agrees with your diagnosis of radiculopathy of S1 nerve root due to a large herniated disc at L5-S1.
You call Mr. Payne two weeks later to see how he is doing. He reports that he is doing quite a bit better. He went to an osteopathic physician who did some manual therapy and started him on a strict walking program. He is very encouraged and plans on losing weight through exercise and diet.
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Dq 10
/in Uncategorized /by developerDissemination of EBP and research, such as presenting results at a conference or writing an article for a journal, is an important part of professional practice. Identify one professional journal and one nursing or health care conference where you might present your project. Discuss why each of your choices is the best option for you to disseminate your new knowledge.( My EBP is on hand washing)
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Dq 18571029
/in Uncategorized /by developerSelect two of the following discussion questions for your discussion response. Indicate which questions you have chosen using the format displayed in the “Discussion Forum Sample.”
at least 250 words with reference no older than 5 years and intext citation.
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Dq 18580677
/in Uncategorized /by developerAnswer both of the following discussion questions for your discussion response.
250 words with reference no older than 5 years and intext citation.
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Dq 18586517
/in Uncategorized /by developerAnswer both of the following discussion questions for your discussion response.
at least 250 words total. reference with no older than 5 years and intext citation
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Dq 18875843
/in Uncategorized /by developerExtraneous variables may have an influence on the dependent variable. In what ways do researchers attempt to control extraneous variables? Support your answer with current literature.
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Dq 18875847
/in Uncategorized /by developerDescribe the levels of evidence and provide an example of the type of practice change that could result from each.
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