Hernández HB, Castillo AD

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 286-293
PDF size: 50.49 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: the demential syndrome is a problem that is increasing due to population aging and the increase in life expectancy at birth in Cuba.
Objective: to characterize the demential syndrome in the geriatric patient.
Method: descriptive cross-sectional study from January 2014 to January 2016, with 67 patients evaluated in the Geriatrics and Gerontology clinic in the 13 de Marzo polyclinics and Jimmy Hirzel, Bayamo municipality. The following variables were studied: age, sex, educational level, personal pathological background and most frequent etiology. The information was obtained from the medical records, interviews with the patients and their relatives or caregivers. Absolute numbers and percentage were used as a summary measure.
Results: Of 67 patients with demential syndrome, 35 (52.2 %) were between 75 and 89 years of age, with a predominance of females. We found low level of education (illiterate and primary) with 19 (28.3 %) and 35 (52.2 %), respectively. Among the personal pathological antecedents, the most frequent events were arterial hypertension with 20 cases (29.8 %), cerebrovascular disease in 12 cases (17.9 %) and diabetes mellitus in 9 cases (13. 4 %). Primary dementias predominated with 90 cases (60 %).
Conclusions: the most affected group was 75-89 years old, in the female sex, with low level of education, in carriers of arterial hypertension. Primary degenerative dementias were frequent.