J Korean Med Assoc.  2014 Sep;57(9):738-742. 10.5124/jkma.2014.57.9.738.

Clinical implications of geriatric syndromes

• Yoo HJ

• KMID: 2459281
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2014.57.9.738

Abstract

A decline in organ function, accompanying risk factors, and diseases altogether make disease presentation-diagnosis-management obscure. Geriatric clinical situations are rarely simple. Geriatric syndromes are clinical conditions that are highly prevalent in aged persons, have multifactorial pathophysiology, and associated with considerable morbidity and poor quality of life. Geriatric syndromes are associated with increased risk of activities of daily livings) loss and death rate. There are 3 approaches to Geriatric syndrome management, such as traditional approach by diagnosis and treatment, geriatric approach by risk factor assessment and reduction, and 'mom' approach through 3 domains. In older patients, complicated associations of multiple contributors generally cause a single symptom, which is accompanied and accumulated by multiple impairments. The management of geriatric syndromes includes the treatment of multiple contributors, the treatment of one geriatric symptom or sign, the management of multiple outcomes, and prevention. I'd like to name this approach as 'mom' approach after the acronym of multiple contributors, one phenotype, and multiple outcomes. The understanding of geriatric syndromes will be an important stepping stone in clinical practice of geriatrics.

Keyword

Geriatric syndrome; Geriatric boiling pot; Therapeutic approach

MeSH Terms

Diagnosis
Geriatrics
Humans
Mortality
Phenotype
Quality of Life
Risk Factors

Figure

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  Figure 1 Geriatric boiling pot (From Korean Geriatrics Society. Geriatrics. 2nd ed. Seoul: Medical Publishing; 2005) [5].

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  Figure 2 Diabetes and geriatric syndromes. QOL, Quality of life; DM, diabetes mellitus (Modified from Yoo HJ. J Korean Geriatr Soc 2010;14(S3): 78-80) [15].

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  Figure 3 Progression flow of geriatric anorexia (Modified from Morley JE. J Nutr Health Aging 2012;16:422-425) [17].

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  Figure 4 'mom (multiple contributors-one phenotype-multiple adverse outcome)' of geriatric syndromes [15].

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