Posted: June 4th, 2022

The basics of osteoarthritis treatments for elderly patients

The basics of osteoarthritis treatments for elderly patients
The wearing out of the protective cartilage at the end of the bones causes osteoarthritis. It majorly affects joints on the knees, spine, arms, and hip. Although it affects all people, it is highly prevalent among the aged. Osteoarthritis is treatable using medication and physical exercise. The significant symptoms of osteoarthritis include; stiffness and swelling in the joints and chronic pain.
Elderly osteoarthritis patients should be encouraged to lose weight. They should also take a proper diet. Losing weight controls the amount of pressure exerted on the joints. Apart from that, geriatricians should make them understand the condition they are suffering from by explaining to them what osteoarthritis is and how to control it. Although exercise may be perceived to accelerate wearing out of the protective cartilage, that is only an incorrect misconception.
Patients should be encouraged to exercise regularly. Yoga, water-based exercise, and aerobics are essential physical activities for elderly patients. The use of assertive devices such as walkers is vital as it increases functionality and independence. Knee braces also play a crucial role in reducing chronic pain.
Pharmacotherapy is an effective way of controlling and treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Elderly osteoarthritis patients take different drugs; these include NSAIDs, opioids, duloxetine, and analgesics. Although intra-articular corticosteroid injections raise the glucose level temporarily in diabetic patients, they are an effective way of managing osteoarthritis in some patients.
Application of gels, such as diclofenac and capsaicin, is also useful. Apply them directly to the skin. Capsaicin should not be used on delicate skin as it produces a burning sensation. NSAIDs are oral agents. Although they are highly effective in reducing pain, they emit toxicities that can cause complications to the heart, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver. People with cardiovascular ailments should first consult a cardiologist before taking them.
Duloxetine reduces chronic pain. If NSAIDs did not work, a patient could try duloxetine out. Patients with illnesses related to the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, heart, and liver can also use them. A patient should take a dose of duloxetine every day. It reduces polypharmacy in patients suffering from concomitant depression. Osteoarthritis Research Society International guidelines recommend a patient with a single joint involved to first use intra-articular injections before taking drugs. Those with multiple affected joints can start with oral agents before getting injected. Although opioids relieve chronic pain among the aged, they have different side effects, such as mental clouding and sleepiness.
References
Bliddal, Henning, and Robin Christensen. “The treatment and prevention of knee osteoarthritis: a tool for clinical decision-making.” Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy 10, no. 11 (2009): 1793-1804.
Hamel, Mary Beth, Maria Toth, Anna Legedza, and Max P. Rosen. “Joint replacement surgery in elderly patients with severe osteoarthritis of the hip or knee: decision making, postoperative recovery, and clinical outcomes.” Archives of internal medicine 168, no. 13 (2008): 1430-1440.

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