Geriatric Specialty Consult

Cognitive Impairment with and without behavioral problems

Primary care providers can access specialists with a sub-specialty in geriatric specialty care. These physicians are board-certified and located in the United States. In most cases, these specialty consult doctors receive additional education, training, or a fellowship to learn how to care for the unique needs of the elderly. Geriatricians focus on conditions that occur more frequently among those over 65, including:

• Heart disease
• Mobility challenges
• Arthritis and other rheumatologic conditions
• Vision or hearing loss
• Dementia
• Depression

Often diseases among the elderly go misdiagnosed because the symptoms are very similar. Depression is sometimes misdiagnosed as dementia or memory loss. Geriatric specialty care can add insight to the diagnosis of the primary care provider. These specialists can improve chronic disease management, and identify medications that may interact or cause more intense side effects in the geriatric population.

SPECIALTY
Geriatric Medicine

CHIEF COMPLAINT
Cognitive Impairment with and without behavioral problems

COMMENTS TO SPECIALIST
We reviewed the CT results during this visit, which do indicate cognitive impairment is related to atrophy, mild cerebellar and cerebral atrophy, chronic periventricular and subcortical deep white matter microvascular ischemic disease, which I suspect may indicate some underlying dementia. In regard to this patient’s exam findings, as well as head CT results, I did advise both patient and husband that the patient does have underlying dementia, last year around this time we discussed the use of medications to aid in the treatment of what appeared to be underlying dementia, these were Aricept, Exelon, as well as Donzipil.

MAIN QUESTION
I would like further input regarding a possible diagnosis, as well as treatment options regarding possible dementia. Please review all notes related to the patient’s memory loss from last year for a baseline of the patient’s status.
Please review head CT results, as well as recent labs performed on 02/02/2022.