Foot Care for Elderly Patients Flashcards

Which medication commonly prescribed to elderly patients can cause nail and foot changes, increasing treatment risk?

Answer: Warfarin, antihypertensives (causing edema), and immunosuppressants

Warfarin increases bleeding risk; antihypertensives (e.g., calcium channel blockers) can cause peripheral edema; immunosuppressants impair healing and infection resistance—all affecting nail care safety.

Falls prevention in elderly patients receiving foot care includes:

Answer: Advising well-fitting footwear, addressing callus and nail pathology, and recommending balance exercises

Foot pain from callus and nail conditions affects gait and balance; proper nail and callus management combined with appropriate footwear significantly reduces fall risk.

A corn (heloma durum) on the dorsum of an elderly patient's hammer toe should be:

Answer: Carefully debrided with a scalpel blade and protected with a silicone toe orthosis to redistribute pressure

Hard corns over pressure points require professional debridement and pressure relief via silicone orthoses; salicylic acid risks chemical burns in elderly/diabetic patients.

When treating nail pathology in a patient taking long-term systemic corticosteroids, the technician should be aware of:

Answer: Fragile, thin skin prone to easy bruising and tearing, impaired wound healing, and increased infection risk

Chronic corticosteroid use causes skin atrophy, fragility, impaired healing, and immune suppression—all requiring ultra-gentle technique and heightened infection vigilance.

Subungual corns (heloma subunguale) are most commonly found:

Answer: Under the nail of any toe where bony prominence creates chronic pressure

Subungual corns develop wherever a bony exostosis or deformity causes chronic pressure beneath the nail plate, most often under the great toenail or 5th digit nail.

Bursa formation over a bunion (hallux valgus) deformity can complicate nail care because:

Answer: Inflammation and swelling alter foot mechanics, changing pressure distribution and increasing fall risk during and after treatment

Bunion-related bursitis causes swelling and pain that affect gait; understanding this helps the technician position patients safely and advise appropriate footwear.