FMCLA Geriatric Care and Elder Medicine 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An 80-year-old patient has a blood pressure of 152/84 mmHg. According to current US guidelines for elderly patients, what is the recommended BP target?
- <120/80 mmHg
- <130/80 mmHg (Correct answer)
- <140/90 mmHg
- <160/90 mmHg
Correct answer: <130/80 mmHg
ACC/AHA 2017 guidelines recommend a BP target of <130/80 mmHg for most elderly patients when treatment is indicated.
Question 2: Which type of urinary incontinence is most common in elderly women?
- Overflow incontinence
- Urge incontinence (Correct answer)
- Functional incontinence
- Stress incontinence
Correct answer: Urge incontinence
Urge incontinence (overactive bladder) is the most prevalent type of incontinence in older women and is characterized by sudden intense urge to void.
Question 3: What is the first-line treatment for urge urinary incontinence in older adults that avoids anticholinergic side effects?
- Oxybutynin
- Bladder training and pelvic floor exercises (Correct answer)
- Tolterodine
- Alpha-blockers
Correct answer: Bladder training and pelvic floor exercises
Behavioral therapies including bladder training and pelvic floor muscle exercises are first-line and preferred in older adults to avoid anticholinergic burden.
Question 4: Which vitamin deficiency is extremely common in homebound elderly patients and contributes to falls and fractures?
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D (Correct answer)
- Vitamin E
Correct answer: Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in homebound elderly due to lack of sun exposure and impairs calcium absorption, increasing fall and fracture risk.
Question 5: A geriatric patient taking five or more medications daily is at risk for which condition?
- Polypharmacy (Correct answer)
- Malnutrition
- Social isolation
- Sarcopenia
Correct answer: Polypharmacy
Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of five or more medications and is associated with increased risk of adverse drug interactions and falls in the elderly.
Question 6: Which assessment tool evaluates gait and balance to predict fall risk in older adults?
- Katz Index
- Timed Up and Go (TUG) test (Correct answer)
- Mini-Cog
- MMSE
Correct answer: Timed Up and Go (TUG) test
The Timed Up and Go test measures the time to rise from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, and return — a validated predictor of fall risk.
FMCLA Geriatric Care and Elder Medicine 2
An 80-year-old patient has a blood pressure of 152/84 mmHg.
According to current US guidelines for elderly patients, what is the recommended BP target?