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The Complexity of the Geriatric Patient

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Learning Geriatric Medicine

Part of the book series: Practical Issues in Geriatrics ((PIG))

Abstract

Complexity is the result of medical, social, and psychological factors that challenge the effectiveness of the care process, making it not standard and more demanding to health professionals. Several conditions extremely common in older patients are responsible for complexity. Multimorbidity, complex medication regimens, geriatric syndromes, cognitive impairment, and low socioeconomic status are among them and limit the effectiveness of treatments and indications. What stated by guidelines might not work in complex older adults and often raises, among physicians, more doubts on potential harm than certainties. Goal-oriented care and participation of the patient in the decision-making process are warranted in the presence of complexity, in order to improve the efficacy of the treatment and preserve the quality of life. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) can help in prioritizing specific intervention areas.

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  • Further reading can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61997-2_6

  • Further reading can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61997-2_6

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geriatrics, Catholic University of Rome, L.go F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy

    Graziano Onder & Davide Liborio Vetrano

  2. Ageing Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Gavlegatan 16, 11330, Stockholm, Sweden

    Davide Liborio Vetrano

Authors
  1. Graziano Onder
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  2. Davide Liborio Vetrano
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Correspondence to Graziano Onder .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria

    Regina Roller-Wirnsberger

  2. Institute for Biomedicine of Ageing Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Katrin Singler

  3. Ageing Clinical Research Department Medicine II, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany

    Maria Cristina Polidori

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Onder, G., Vetrano, D.L. (2018). The Complexity of the Geriatric Patient. In: Roller-Wirnsberger, R., Singler, K., Polidori, M. (eds) Learning Geriatric Medicine. Practical Issues in Geriatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61997-2_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61997-2_6

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-61996-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-61997-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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