Tideiksaar R, Kay A D
Geriatrics. 1986 Dec;41(12):32-50.
Any fall in the elderly may signal impending major illness. Falls may be caused by any acute or chronic illness that causes weakness or dizziness. MI, stroke, or GI bleeding may well present with falls. A fall can be the first sign of urinary tract, respiratory, or gallbladder infection. Avoid open-ended questions, such as "What happened?" Patients often state they slipped or tripped--possibly not the true reason for the fall. Direct questions about symptoms ("Did you have difficulty in walking?" or "Did you feel dizzy?") elicit more specific information.
老年人的任何跌倒都可能预示着即将发生重大疾病。跌倒可能由任何导致虚弱或头晕的急性或慢性疾病引起。心肌梗死、中风或胃肠道出血很可能表现为跌倒。跌倒可能是尿路感染、呼吸道感染或胆囊感染的首发症状。避免使用开放式问题，如“发生了什么事？”患者通常会说他们滑倒或绊倒了——这可能不是跌倒的真正原因。直接询问症状（“你走路有困难吗？”或“你感到头晕吗？”）能引出更具体的信息。
