Primary Care: Top Topics In Rheumatology And Geriatrics 2022

Primary Care: Top Topics In Rheumatology And Geriatrics is organized by American Medical Seminars (AMS), Inc. and will be held from Feb 21 - 24, 2022 at Lido Beach Resort, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America.
PRESENTED BY:

Gary H. Oberlender, MD, FACP - Consultant in Geriatric Medicine, Senior Evaluations, LLC, Charlotte, NC

John W. Pendleton, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.R.

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA

Learning Objectives:
Day 1:
Delirium in the Elderly - Current Concepts. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Specify diagnostic features and common causes of delirium in seniors.
• Distinguish the causes of persistent delirium.
• Use evidence based medicine to formulate treatment approaches to delirious seniors.
• Recognize treatment options for intermittent agitation using evidence based medicine.

Evaluation of the Patient with Musculoskeletal Complaints.   
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: COMP
• Recognize the symptoms of an inflammatory arthritis versus osteoarthritis.
• List the pattern of joint involvement in the various types of arthritis.
• Utilize lab tests to aid in diagnosing the various forms of arthritis.
• Describe the typical x-ray findings in the common forms of arthritis.

Evaluation and Treatment of Dementia in Seniors. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Determine the common causes of cognitive dysfunction and dementia in seniors.
• Develop an evidence based evaluation of seniors with cognitive dysfunction.
• Evaluate the relative risks and benefits of available treatment options for dementia in seniors.
• Distinguish the central role of caregiver education and support in treating seniors with dementia.

Osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and Treatment in the Older Patient. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, COMP
• Appraise the newer understandings of the pathophysiology of OA.
• Distinguish the typical and atypical clinical features of OA.
• Utilize the American College of Rheumatology guidelines for the treatment of OA of the hand, hip and knee.
• Distinguish OA symptoms from those of other localized or generalized disorders.

Advanced Nutritional Assessment and Therapy. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Integrate readily available clinical data to make accurate nutritional assessments in seniors.
• Relate metabolic changes in aging to assess risk for malnutrition.
• Apply an evidence based approach to treatment of undernutrition in seniors.

Day 2:
Update on Rheumatoid Arthritis. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, COMP
• Describe the immunologic abnormalities, genetic and environmental factors, and synovial changes occurring in rheumatoid arthritis.
• Recognize the articular and extra articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Use the ACR classification criteria to confirm the diagnosis of RA.
• Choose and monitor the appropriate treatment for RA according the ACR guidelines.

Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D in Seniors.   
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Integrate the normal physiology of Vitamins B-12 and D.
• Differentiate the pathologic syndromes associated with B-12 and D deficiency.
• Develop an evidence based evaluation of B-12 and D deficiency for seniors.
• Develop an evidence based approach to treatment options for B-12 and D in seniors.

Systemic Lupus in Primary Care. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, EBM, COMP
• Recognize the common as well as the less frequent clinical and laboratory manifestations of SLE.
• Use laboratory testing to help confirm the diagnosis and monitor the activity of SLE.
• Apply the 2019 ACR/EULAR diagnostic criteria to diagnose a patient with SLE.
• Use the 2019 EULAR treatment guidelines for evidence-based treatment of SLE.

Sensible Approaches to Geriatric Infections. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Recognize atypical presentations of infectious illness in the elderly.
• Differentiate the causes of pneumonia and UTI in seniors.
• Specify an evidence based approach to appropriate antibiotic usage.
• Appraise evidence based considerations in emerging antibiotic resistance.
• Apply evidence based options in the prevention and treatment of C. difficile illness in seniors.

Office Orthopedics in the Older Patient. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Recognize the common causes of acute low back pain in the elderly.
• Use evidence based maneuvers to assess the likelihood of a patient having spinal stenosis.
• Differentiate between the different metabolic pathways of the statins and relate how that would impact prescribing for patients on multiple other drugs.
• Use evidence based techniques to determine the likelihood of a patient having a rotator cuff tear.

Day 3:
Geriatric Depression: Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Differentiate the variety of clinical presentations of depressive disorders in seniors.
• Appraise the utility of, and plan to use, the Geriatric Depression Scale.
• Apply an evidence based approach to antidepressant drug therapy in seniors.
• Apply the evidence based recommendations for use of non-drug antidepressant therapy.

Raynaud’s, Scleroderma and the Inflammatory Myopathies.   
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, COMP
• Describe the evaluation of a patient presenting with and treatment of Raynaud’s.
• Initiate an evaluation of patient and diagnosis of systemic sclerosis based on the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification of systemic sclerosis.
• Recognize the involvement of internal organs associated with systemic sclerosis.
• Identify patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies using the 2017 EULAR/ACR classification criteria.

Sensible Prescribing Practices for the Elderly. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Appraise and appreciate the limits of published trials studies on drug safety and efficacy for seniors.
• Assess the subtle but significant drug side effects in the elderly.
• Distinguish undesirable prescribing practices and employ better approaches based on current evidence-based referenced literature.

Spondylarthritis. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, EBM, COMP
• Recognize the common and overlapping as well as the distinguishing clinical findings of the various types of spondyloarthritis.
• Describe the unique clinical radiographic features of spondyloarthritis.
• Explain the role of HLA-B27 testing in the evaluation of patients with possible axial spondyloarthritis.
• Apply the 2019 ACR/EULAR recommendations for evidence-based treatment of spondyloarthritis.

Contemporary Issues in End of Life Care. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, GL, COMP
• Develop a practical approach to assessment of the whole patient in a hospice setting.
• Formulate effective approaches to common physical symptoms in the terminally ill.
• Integrate effective clinical care of patients and their families in the last days of life based on current evidence-based literature, Guidelines and recommendations of the American Geriatrics Society and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
• Relate dementia as a terminal illness.

Day 4:
The Geriatric Patient: Evidence-Based Answers to Frequently Asked Questions. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Apply evidence based recommendations to patient's questions about the use of multivitamins.
• Recommend the most appropriate treatment for nocturnal leg cramps.
• Advise appropriate dietary recommendations for patients with gouty arthritis.
• Assess and follow up patients with a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance?

A Practical Approach to Falls and Urinary Incontinence in the Elderly.   
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, EBM, COMP
• Integrate the concept of multifactorial causes underlying falls and employ the American Geriatrics Society Guidelines for the Prevention of Falls and urinary incontinence in seniors.
• Develop a full assessment approach to evaluate different causes, using detailed physical examination and functional performance evaluations.
• Differentiate the effects of normal aging from pathologic processes and adverse drug effects as risk factors for falls and incontinence.
• Apply NIH guidelines to formulate a preventative and therapeutic plan of care.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: EBM, COMP
• Integrate and relate the typical symptoms, physical findings, and laboratory abnormalities in polymyalgia rheumatica.
• Use evidence based information to determine the appropriate initial dose of prednisone in patients with PMR.
• Detect the typical and atypical presentations of GCA.
• Determine the appropriate indication and technique for temporal artery biopsy.
• Prescribe the most effective treatment and distinguish the most serious complications of GCA.

Improving Communication Skills in Medical Practice. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: COMP
• Appraise the variety of ways that people perceive communication and process information.
• Assess your personal communication strengths and limitations.
• Determine communication issues unique to older patients.
• Develop practices and apply skills to maximize effective communication and listening based on current literature.

Update on Crystal Induced Arthritis. 
Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: GL, COMP
• Distinguish the unique characteristics of gout in the elderly.
• Develop a treatment plan based on the 2020 American College of Rheumatology treatment guidelines for the treatment of gout.
• Determine the clinical manifestations of calcium pyrophosphate deposition.
• Differentiate the polarized microscopic findings for uric acid and CPPD crystals.