Diagnostic evaluation of elderly patients with mild memory problems.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
Monica S Horton
Publications and source records attributed to Monica S Horton.
Prevalence, course, and risk factors for executive impairment in patients hospitalized on a general medicine service.
The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence, course, and risk factors for executive impairment in patients hospitalized on a general medicine service. One hundred patients were administered the Executive Interview (EXIT25), the Executive Clock Drawing Task (CLOX), and the Mini-Mental State Examination at admission and discharge. Fifty-two percent of the patients at admission and 56% at discharge had scores indicating impairment on at least one measure of executive function. Median scores on every measure improved during hospitalization. Older patients and those with a cardiac or gastrointestinal disorder were more likely to have executive impairment. The prevalence of executive impairment on general medicine services is high. Although improvement in executive function occurs during hospitalization, many patients remained impaired.
Cognition Disorders↗
The impact of medical illness on executive function.
Executive function can be defined as one's ability to plan, initiate, sequence, monitor, and inhibit complex goal-directed behaviors. Although executive impairment is generally associated with dementia, recent studies have suggested that patients with chronic diseases, such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes, may also have executive deficits independent of psychiatric comorbidities. Because executive function is associated with functional outcomes, medication compliance, and the capacity to give informed consent, it is important that it be assessed. However, it is the authors' impression that executive function is not adequately assessed in medical settings, despite the availability of reliable measures. This article reviews the impact of medical illness on executive function and discusses practical diagnostic instruments and treatment strategies. The changes in functional status associated with executive impairment as well as pathophysiology and treatment strategies are also discussed.
Brain↗