An 80-year-old woman that you follow in a nursing home has an acute decline in her mental status. She has a fever >100°F, but no other focal complaints or findings on physical examination except for a chronic indwelling urinary catheter. What statement is true?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because in an older adult with an indwelling urinary catheter, a fever >100°F can be a sign of urinary tract infection (UTI) or urosepsis. Given her acute decline in mental status and fever, empiric antibiotic therapy is warranted to treat a potential infection. Choice B is incorrect because older adults with indwelling catheters are at increased risk for UTIs and bloodstream infections. Choice C is incorrect as obtaining a urine culture is important to confirm the diagnosis and guide appropriate antibiotic therapy. Choice D is incorrect as the duration of antibiotic treatment for a UTI is typically longer than 3 days.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because guidelines for primary stroke prevention recommend using aspirin in individuals whose risk of stroke is high enough for the benefits to outweigh the risks. This is based on assessing individual risk factors such as age, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and history of cardiovascular diseases to determine if the potential benefits of aspirin therapy in reducing the risk of stroke outweigh the potential risks such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because aspirin should not be used regardless of risk level, based on gender, or in specific populations without considering individual risk factors to ensure the benefits outweigh the risks.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Haloperidol. Haloperidol is a first-line antipsychotic commonly used to manage agitation in delirium due to its rapid onset and minimal sedative effects. It acts by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain, which helps to reduce agitation and combativeness. Melatonin (A) is not effective for acute agitation. Diazepam (C) can worsen confusion in elderly patients and is not recommended for delirium. Gabapentin (D) is not indicated for managing agitation in delirium and may not be effective in this scenario.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Extrapyramidal symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are not known to cause extrapyramidal symptoms, which are more commonly associated with antipsychotic medications. SSRIs can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, irritation, and hyponatremia in older adults due to their effects on serotonin levels and platelet function. Extrapyramidal symptoms involve movement disorders like tremors and muscle rigidity, which are not typically seen with SSRIs. Therefore, A is the correct answer.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C because clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression can indeed have an effect on frailty rates. Anxiety and depression can contribute to the development and progression of frailty through various mechanisms such as decreased physical activity, poor nutrition, and social isolation. This can lead to a higher risk of frailty in individuals with mental health issues. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because both prominent frailty models (e.g., Fried's phenotype model and Rockwood's accumulation of deficits model) do consider age as a component for defining frailty, individuals who are prefrail are at a higher risk of progressing to frailty rather than becoming robust, and frailty diagnosis has been shown to be valuable in preoperative assessment as it helps identify patients who may not do well with surgical interventions.