Diagnostic evaluation of the mentally impaired elderly living at home.
Of 334 elderly persons aged 75 years and over, drawn from a random sample living at home, 38 were diagnosed as mentally impaired by a GP during an examination in the respondent's home. The GP also made diagnoses as to the cause of the mental impairment. These diagnoses agreed in 79% of cases with the final diagnoses after psychogeriatric assessment, including cerebral CAT-scan, EEG, and ECG investigation. The GP's diagnosis was changed in 8 cases; in 5 primarily due to the findings on the cerebral CAT-scan, and in 3 to the psychogeriatric assessment. The study showed that a GP with some experience in geriatric medicine was able to arrive at a correct clinical diagnosis regarding the cause of acquired mental impairment in elderly people in about 3/4 of the cases. A programme for the GP's diagnostic evaluation of the mentally impaired elderly is outlined.
Engedal
K
K
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Ullevaal Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Gilje
K
K
Lilleaas
F
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010808:Physical Examination; D011581:Psychological Tests; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed