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Biomedical subjects

M D Blumenthal

Publications and source records attributed to M D Blumenthal.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

A model of risk of falling for psychogeriatric patients.

One hundred community-dwelling psychiatric outpatients, 60 years and older, were evaluated for factors associated with symptoms of dizziness, falling, and orthostatic hypotension. Thirty-nine percent complained of dizziness or falling, and 34% had systolic orthostatic hypotension. Together, systolic and diastolic blood pressure drop, type of somatic illness, type and number of drugs, and psychiatric diagnosis accounted for 50% of the variance in dizziness and falling. Type of illness, drug category, and psychiatric diagnosis accounted for only 19% of the variance in orthostatic hypotension. Statistical analysis showed that systolic orthostatic hypotension, disease classification, and type and number of drugs taken contribute independently to dizziness and falling. In geriatric psychiatric patients, careful attention to orthostatic hypotension, concurrent somatic illness, and number and type of medication is essential to the prevention of dizziness, falling, and their consequences.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1980

Dizziness and falling in elderly psychiatric outpatients.

The authors examined 100 psychiatric patients who were 60 years old and older for orthostatic hypotension and symptoms of dizziness and falling. Almost 40% of the patients complained of dizziness and falling, although only 27% had systolic orthostatic hypotension. Drug treatment, particularly the combination of tricyclics with other orthostatic hypotension-inducing drugs, was the most important factor accounting for the dizziness and falling. Underlying medical illness, particularly heart disease, also correlated significantly with the patients' symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Depressive illness in old age: getting behind the mask.

Different presentations of depression may occur in the elderly. Complaints of physical illness are especially common and pseudodementia may be the presenting picture. Overtreated hypertension which can be well controlled with diuretics is a common cause of depression in the elderly. Taking the patient off the drug known to cause depression will often solve the problem.

Aged↗
PubMed1979

Developing a curriculum in psychogeriatrics.

Psychiatric problems are rampant among the aged, yet the psychiatric profession has not developed sufficient resources for training the necessary number of practitioners able and willing to treat elderly psychiatric patients. The management of psychiatric problems in old age differs substantially from that in younger age groups. The elderly patient is likely to have multiple needs and to require diverse services. Fundamental goals in training geriatric psychiatrists should focus on differential diagnosis and treatment, pharmacologic issues, consultation, community resources, and psychiatric, medical, and psychosocial aspects of care. The authors describe a curriculum tailored to meet these goals.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

Measuring depressive symptomatology in a general population.

Three hundred twenty respondents in selected geographic areas were interviewed with a structured questionnaire that included the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. Dimensional analysis indicates that some items are not pure measures of the constructs they were originally intended to assess. Moreover, some of the dimensions within the scale apparently convey different meanings to different segments in the population. In addition, different dimensions within the scale have varying demographic correlates. The analysis suggests that in order for the scale to be a truly useful device for assessing depressive symptomatology in a general population, additional items need to be added and some questions need to be followed by probes to clarify the exact frame of reference of the respondents.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1975

Depressive symptomatology and role function in a general population.

Depressive symptomatology, marital satisfaction and functioning, job satisfaction, and social relationships were investigated in 320 respondents comprising 160 married couples. Responses to the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale indicated that 13% of the respondents had scores similar to those obtained by patients with diagnosed depressions and an additional 27% had scores comparable to those of persons with other psychiatric problems. Responses to a variety of questions about the respondents' social life, job satisfaction, and marital function indicate that increased depressive symptomatology in this general population is associated with a decline in satisfaction and functioning in these areas. The data suggest that this association is not solely due to response bias but is associated with a real decline in function, particularly in the area of child rearing.

Child Rearing↗