The prevalence and pathological correlates of orthostatic hypotension and its subtypes when measured using beat-to-beat technology in a sample of older adults living in the community.

Background: beat-to-beat technology is increasingly used for investigating orthostatic intolerance (OI) but the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension (OH) diagnosed with this technology is unclear.

Objectives: (i) to use beat-to-beat technology to define the prevalence of OH, (ii) to investigate the pathological correlates of OH, (iii) to report the diversity of postural BP responses.

Methods: cross-sectional study of adults ≥ 65 years.

Specialist medication review does not benefit short-term outcomes and net costs in continuing-care patients.

Objectives: to evaluate specialist geriatric input and medication review in patients in high-dependency continuing care.

Design: prospective, randomised, controlled trial.

Setting: two residential continuing care hospitals.

Treatment of vasodepressor carotid sinus syndrome with midodrine: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of treatment of the vasodepressor form of carotid sinus hypersensitivity (carotid sinus syndrome (CSS)) with midodrine.

Design: A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of crossover design.

Setting: A dedicated outpatient facility with access to tilt-table, digital arterial photoplethysmography, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring equipment.

Orthostatic tolerance in older patients with vitamin B12 deficiency before and after vitamin B12 replacement.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) and vitamin B12 deficiency are common disorders in older people. Several case series have reported an association between vitamin B12 deficiency and OH. The effect of vitamin B12 replacement on this dysfunction has not been studied.

Underlying mechanisms of impaired visceral pain perception in older people.

There is increasing recognition that aging can have a profound effect on the presentation of illness. Older patients with diseases of visceral organs are much more likely than younger adults to present atypically. Examples are the frequent absence of pain in older patients with conditions such as myocardial infarction, peptic ulcer disease, and pneumothorax.